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FIRST SETTLEMENTS 



OF 



A PAPER READ BY 

EDWARD T. SCHULTZ 

'I 

BEFORE THE 

FREDERICK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

Jantary 17th, 18!»r.. 

AND BEFORE 

Ttie Socielj fof the Histpfj of the Gefmans in Mafjland, 

March 17th, 1H96. 



TO WHICH items OF HISTORICAL INTEREST REFERRING TO 
FREDERICK CITY AND COUNTY ARE ADDED. 



(PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.) 



DAVID H. SMITH. *^, i < 

Frederick, MJ, ^ '^ ^^ 

1896. ' ' 



m. 


/7 ^' 'o 




Old German Reformed Church, 
frederick, md. 

(First Church Tower Erected in Maryland.) 



PREFACE. 

My regard for the city of my nativity and my veneration for 
the old church, the Reformed, in which my parents worshipped 
for over a half century, induced me to devote some of my 
leisure moments during the past few months, to the investigation 
of their early history, the results of which will be found embodied 
in the following pages: 

Few of us, I think, fully realize or appreciate the value and 
innportance of the part taken by the Germans in the early set- 
tlement and development of Western Maryland, then a part of 
Prince George, but subsequently comprising the one county, 
Frederick. 

A writer in a recent publication well says : "The settlement 
of the Germans in Western Maryland in colonial times was 
undoubtedly an important factor in the development and history 
of our State, They not only increased the numbers of our inhab- 
itants, but brought new industries and arts, intelligence and 
learning, indomitable perseverence and energy, but above all 
sturdy arms, an immense woxking capacity and frugal, simple 
habits. They brought with them their schoolteachers and pastors 
and one of their first acts was to erect a schoolhouse and have 
their children instilled in the principles of Christianity and the 
useful arts of life. From them have sprung many illustrious men, 
who rendered our nation great services in times of war and peace 
in the councils of the nation, on the judicial bench, in schools 
and colleges and in every other department of life. They turned 
the wilderness of Frederick county of the year 1735 into a 
blooming garden, so that in 1790 Frederick county was the 
largest wheat-growing county in the United States." 

The following narrative of some of the more important settle- 
ments m the county by the Germans, with an account of the 
organization and early history of their churches so closely asso- 
ciated with their settlements, compiled from a number and 
variety of sources, may serve in some measure, at least, 
to give a clearer view of the subject, more particularly of the 
origin and early history of the present Lutheran and German 
Reformed congregations at Frederick, without question the first 
two German congregations organized in Maryland, and to 
correct some errors into which the historians of those congrega- 
tions have fallen. 

The hope is indulged that this small contribution to one 
phase of the history of Frederick City and County may stimulate 
others to make further investigations, so that before the older 
people of this generation, from whom valuat)le data may be 
obtained, pass away, we shall have a full and complete his- 
tory of old historic Frederick. 

Baltimore, February, 1896. E. T. S. 



THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS 

OF 

GERMANS IN MARYLAND. 

The first known German settlers within the present limits of 
the State of Maryland were those among the Dutch and French 
Labadists, who located on Bohemia Manor, Cecil, but then Balti- 
more county, about the year 1681. 

The Labadists were a religious body of communists. They pur- 
chased a tract of land, containing 3,700 acres, from Augustine 
Herman, proprietor of Bohemia Manor, where they erected 
large buildings, in which the males and females were housed 
separately. They raised corn, tobacco, flax, hemp, etc. "They 
had fine stocks of cattle, and also manufactured linen. They 
were prosperous, but the severe and austere life they were com 
pelled to live was too much for their frail human nature, and 
about 1720 to 1722 they scattered, mixed and were lost amidst 
their surrounding neighbors." From the Labadists have sprung 
some of the best people of Maryland and Delaware, among 
them the fa'mily of our present Minister to England, Thomas F. 
Bayard. 

This settlement was made several years prior to the coming 
of William Penn's German Quakers, who, under Daniel 
Pastorious, in 1684, founded Germantown, near Philadelphia, the 
location of the latter, now a large and flourishing city, was then 
claimed by Lord Baltimore as a part of his Province of Mary- 
land. 

It is well known the first Lord Proprietary, as well as his 
successors, claimed not only what is now included within the 
present State lines, but also all the land and water east of it as 
far as the present New Jersey, including the whole of the State 
of Delaware and a strip of Pennsylvania twenty miles wide 
along the entire north boundary of our State. 

The dispute over the boundary between Maryland and Penn- 
sylvania was continued for nearly a century, and it was not until 



1763 that it was finally settled, and then by the shrewdness of the 
Penns Maryland was dismembered of between three and four 
millions acres of land. Whatever doubts may have existed in 
the minds of historical students, as to the validity of the claim of 
the Lords Baltimore, have been entirely brushed aside by the infor- 
mation disclosed in the Calvert papers recovered a few years 
ago by the Maryland Historical Society. 

GERMAN SETTLEMENTS IN VIRGINIA. 

For many years Germantown was the rendezvous for the Prot- 
estant refugees fleeing from the relentless persecutions which 
devastated some of the fairest portions of France and Germany. 
From here as a centre the immigrants spread over Southern 
Pennsylvania into what is now Lancaster, York and Adams 
counties, many of them or their descendants finding their way 
across the boundary line into Maryland and Virginia. 

As early as 17 14 twelve German families of fifty persons, fol- 
lowed by twenty families of eighty persons, settled on the Rap- 
pahannock river near the present city ot Fredericksburg, Others 
followed, and by 1730 some of them had crossed the mountains 
into Shenandoah and Rockingham counties. These in turn were 
reinforced by Germans from the Pennsylvania settlement^, and 
by 1743 there were a number of flourishing settlements of Ger- 
mans in the Shenandoah and other valleys of Virginia. In 1748, 
when Washington was surveying lands in that part of Virginia, "he 
met many Germans, men, women and children, who followed 
him through the woods and spoke nothing but Dutch (German.)" 

"These Virginia settlements were in regular communication with 
the Pennsylvania settlements, and it was in consequence of the 
kindness shown the settlers by Governor Spottswood that the Ger- 
man Pennsylvanians in the lasi century called Virginia "Spotts- 
sylvania.'" 

SETTLEMENT AT MONOCACY, FREDERICK COUNTY. 

The route of travel from Lancaster county to the Virginia 
settlements was over an Indian trail, a route for pack horse travel 
and missionaries, extending across the territory now York an i 
Adams counties, Pennsylvania, to a point on the Monocacy river 
near the boundary line of the Provinces of Maryland and Penn ■ 
sylvania and thence to the Potomac river, crossing the P)lue or 
South Mountain, through what was and is now "Crampton's 
Gap." 



1/ 



It was by this route that about 1729 the first Germans drifted 
into Maryland (it is said that they thus came as early as 1710- 
1712), and settled near the Monocacy river, and between 1732 
and 1734 built the first German church in Maryland. It was 
situated on the west side of the river, and about ten miles above 
where Frederickstown was afterwards laid out. — 

In 1739, by order of the T-ancaster County Court, a road was ; 
built from Wright's Ferry (Wrightsville), to the Maryland line, a , 
distance of thirty-five miles, and thence, by an act of the Mary- 
land Assembly, it was continued to the Potomac river. This road 
followed substantially the old Indian trail, and for many years 
was known as the Monocacy Road. It was the great highway 
from the East to the South and Southwest, and it was over this 
road that in 1755 the 150 wagons and 200 pack horses, 
secured in Pennsylvania by the efforts of Benjamin Frank- 
in, then Postmaster-General were transported to the camp at 
Frederick, where a part of the army was collected preparatory to 
the campaign which ended in the disastrous defeat of General 
Braddock. [It was at this camp that Washington and Franklin 
met for the first time, and where both were called in consultation 
with General Braddock and Governor Sharpe, and it was while 
the army was encamped . here during April and May, 1755, 
that Washington was appointed aide-de-camp to General Brad- 
dock.] 

It was the route by which the British prisoners captured during 
the Revolutionary War were taken to the barracks at Frederick- 
town, Maryland, and Winchester, Virginia, and the route used by 
General Wayne with his 900 patriots on their way to Yorktown, 
Virginia, during the same war. 

It was also the road used during the war of 1812, when the 
British threatened Washington and Baltimore, to transport cotton 
from Georgia, Mississippi and other points in the South to Phila- 
delphia and New York. In 1808 this road was macadamized and 
it continued to be the great highway between the lower counties 
of Pennsylvania and Maryland and the South until the building 
of railroads. 

'<The Governor of Virginia and afterwards Lord Fairfax made 
strenuous efforts to direct the German immigration to Virginia, 
and in 1732 the Governor ceded a tract of land of some 25,000 
acres to a certain Joss Hite, a German, and Jacob Van Meeter> 
a Dutchman, on condition that they would settle 200 German 



^4 



families on the land ceded to them. Hite and Van Meeter trav- 
ersed Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Germany in search of emi- 
grants and directed them by the road of the Monocacy to Vir- 
ginia. Charles Lord Baltimore, not to be outdone by the 
Governor of Virginia, thereupon on the 2d of March, 1732, made 
the liberal offer of 200 acres of land in fee, subject to a rent of 
four shillings sterling per year, payable at the end of three years, 
for every hundred acres, to any person having a family who 
should withm three years actually settle on the land between 
the rivers Potomac and Susquehanna, and to each single per- 
son, male or female, between the ages of fifteen and 
thirty, one hundred acres of land on the same terms, with the 
assurance that they should be as well secured in their liberty and 
property in Maryland as in any part of the British plantations in 
America without exception. 

"The Germans, on their way from Pennsylvania to Spottsylva- 
nia, seeing the rich lands of Frederick county, offered them on 
such liberal terms (a rental of one cent an acre per annum), did 
not proceed further, but struck their spades into the ground right 
there and then, and in a few years there was a prosperous settle- 
ment in and about Monocacy. From there they spread east, 
south and west, but for many years the church at Monocacy was 
their meeting place," and Lutherans and German Reformers 
scattered for miles in the surrounding country, including tbe sub- 
sequent settlement at Fredericktown, worshipped therein for a 
a number of years. 

SETTLEMENT AT FREDERICKTOWN. 

In 1735 there arrived about 100 families from the Palatinate 
Germany by way of Chesapeake Bay, landing at Annapolis or 
Alexandria (both of which towns were then more important 
ports of entry than Baltimore.) Their leader or head man was 
Thomas Schley, "their schoolmaster." This gentleman was the 
progenitor of the large and prominent family of that name in 
Maryland, Georgia, and other parts of our country. 

These settlers located on lands belonging to Daniel Dulaney, 
of Annapolis, who was a large land owner in that section of 11 e 
province. Here ten years later (1745) a town was laid out on 
both sides of Carroll Creek, and three miles from the Monocacy 
river. In compliment to Frederick, son of Lord Baltimore, then 
a youth of 14, it was called Fredericktown. 



y 



Germans from Pennsylvania, as well as direct from the Palati- 
nate, continued to arrive, and these being reinforced by settlers of 
English, Scotch and Irish extraction from the lower counties of 
the province, the wilderness was soon transformed into cultivated 
fields. 

The early German and Swiss sellers were essentially a relig- 
ious people, and a history of their churches and congregations is 
a history of themselves. Those who settled at Monocacy and 
Frederick were remarkably free of the sects, Moravians, Mennon- 
itesand others, into which the German settlers of Pennsylvania 
were divided. They were mostly followers of the teachings of 
Luther and ZwingU, known respectively as Lutherans and Ger- 
man Reformers, ^^^ 

It was the invariable custom of the early settlers, when a suffi- 
cient number located In a neighborhood j to set about the erec- 
tion of first — a schoolhouse, and then a church, the schoolmaster 
being regarded but little less an important personage than the pas- 
tor. Our pious forefathers wisely believed that the intell*"tual 
improvement of the young was a necessary adjunct to their relig- 
ious training. They organized congregations, but it was many 
years before regular pastors were obtained for them. The school- 
master read printed sermons on Sunday and imparted religious as 
well as secular instruction to the young. The Reformers around 
the Monocacy and Frederick settlements mostly occupied the 
tract of land known as "Tasker's Chance," containing 7,000 
acres of land, and, although there were a few scattered settlers 
who had come from the lower counties, these were undoubtedly 
the first considerable number of white people to locate in and 
about the present city of Frederick. 

In 1748 they built a log church on a lot of ground 62x363 feet, 
extending from the present Church street to Patrick street, 
donated by Daniel Dulaney; the church being located on the Patrick 
street end of the lot. The County Court was for several years held 
in this building. By the year 1763 this church was found to be 
inadequate for the needs of the growing congregation, and a 
substantial stone building was erected, 45 feet wide, 60 feet long 
and 28 feet high, with a tower and steeple 60 feet high, which 
was subsequently increased to 150 feet. This church was used by 
the congregation over three-fourths of a century, until 1848, when 
a new building of enlarged capacity was built on the opposite side 
of the street. The corner-stone was laid June 12th of that 



year in the presence of General VVinfield Scott and a large 
number of United States Army officers, who were in attend- 
ance at a Court of Enquiry held at the time. The old church 
was left standing until 1881, when it was torn down and a chapel 
built upon its site. The tower and the remarkably graceful spire 
were fortunately permitted to stand as originally constructed. 

Among the early membership of this church are found the 
names of Adams, Baltzell, Brunner, Baer, Cramer, Getzendan- 
ner, Michael, Ramsliurg, Holtz, Kemp, Sinn, Stull, Schley, 
Steiner, Thomas, Wolff and others, descendants of some of whom 
are living on lands originally settled by their forefathers. At later 
periods came from the Pennsylvania settlements as well as direct 
from the fatherland, the Baers, Bantzs, Gepharts, Buckeys, Bren- 
gles, Dolls, Mantzs, Hauers, Lingenfelders, Schwartzs, Shrivers, 
Stulls, Schriners, Schultzs, Rohrs, Kunkles, Kunlzs, Faubles, 
Weavers, Wipperts, Webbers, Witmans, Albaughs, Derrs, Bentzs, 
Dofiflers, Weiss, Wetzel, Huber, Staleys, Devilbiss, Houcks, etc. 

In 1752 the Lutherans at Frederick commenced the building of 
a stone church upon a lot of ground deeded to the congregation 
for a nominal consideration by Daniel Dulaney. The foundation 
was dug and the walls^ reared to the height of five or six feet when 
the regular pursuits of the town were thrown into confusion by 
the French and Indian war, which now broke out in great fury. 
The formerly well disposed Indians, instigated by French money 
and influence, set the midnight torch to the homes and barns of 
the peaceful settlers of Frederick county. The women and chil- 
dren, as a protection from the tomahawk and scalping knife ot the 
infuriated savages, were removed to places of security, and 
instead of the plough, the men took guns and swords into their 
hands. Many of the more timid abandoned their homes and 
barns and sought safety by flight to distant points. So great was 
the desertion on the frontier that Washington wrote in August, 
1756: "The whole settlement of Conogocheague has fled and 
there remains now only two families from there to Frederick- 
town. That the Maryland settlements are abandoned is cer- 
tainly a fact, as I had the accounts transmitted to me by several 
hands and confirmed yesterday, 28th, by Henry Brinker, who 
left Monocacy the day before, and who affirms that 350 wagons had 
passed \\\dX place within the space of three days." 

"It was in these troublous tmies that the famous Indian fighters, 
the Prathers, Pohs (Poes), in Maryland, and\he Weitzels, in Vir- 



gmia, all German settlers, first became -known. Colonel Thomas 
Prather lived two miles from Conogocheague and was the com- 
mander of the Frederick county militia. The old stockade fort, 
near the present town of Clearspring, was rebuilt at an expense 
of £6,000 and named Fort Frederick. It was quadrangular in 
form, 120 yards each way, with heavy stone walls, with bastions, 
and contained barracks sufficient to accommodate 300 persons. It 
was for a time under the command of Col. F. Haldiman, a Ger 
man Swiss officer, commissioned by the English government. It 
was garrisoned by Frederick county militiamen, 200 of whom 
volunteered to strengthen the distant Fort Cumberland, an out- 
post in this war," 

The capture of Fort du Quesne (Pittsburg) by the British and 
Americans in 1758 subdued the Indians, and the farmers returned 
to their homesteads, peace and quietude following the turmoil of 
war in Western Maryland, and work on the Lutheran church, as 
well as on the courthouse at Frederick, which had also been inter- 
rupted, was resumed, and both were speedily completed. 

The best accounts we have of the settlements at Monocacy and 
Frederick, as well as those at Conogocheague and in the valley of 
Virginia, are from the reports of the Reverends Michael Schlatter 
and Heinrich Melchior Muhlenberg, the organizers respectively 
of the Ger .nan Reformed and Lutheran Churches of America. 
- In 1746 Mr. Schlatter was sent by the Reformed Churches of 
Holland as a missionary to the Dutch and Reformed settlers of 
this country to organize them into congregations in the various 
localities where they resided and to bring them into ecclesiastical 
relations with the churches of the Old World. 

From Philadelphia and Germantown as a centre, Schlatter 
made many journeys of one, two, and even three hundred miles, 
preaching the Gospel and gathering up families and organizing 
them into congregations. 

In his journal, Mr. Schlatter says, "on the 29th April, 1747, I 
undertook a great journey to Monocacy and other places in 
Maryland." After stopping and holding religious services at 
Lancaster, York and Conewago he reached Monocacy on May 6th, 
where on the following day he preached a sermon and baptized 
twenty-six children, and on the next day, May 8th, he adminis- 
tered the Lord's Supper to eighty-six members. 

After Divine Service he read his instructions to the people, and 
forty-nine heads of families at once offered to raise for the sup- 

10 



port of a minister, in money and grain, the amount of forty 
pounds, equal to 266 Dutch guilders. Referring to the Monocacy 
congregation, Mr. Schlatter says : "It appears to me to be one 
of the purest in the whole country, and one in which I have 
found the most traces of the true fear of God ; one that is free 
of the sects, of which, in other places, the country is filled. For 
on 7,000 acres of land in that neighborhood there are none but 
such as are of the German Reformed faith." He intimates that 
this is the seventh congregation or charge that he had organized, 
and says, if this congregation was united with the one called Con- 
ogocheague, lying thirty miles distant, the two would be able to 
sustain a minister. [Such a union was effected some years later.] 
After ordaining elders and deacons he returned the same evening 
to Conowago and arrived at York on the morning of May 9th. 
Mr. Schlatter did not at this time extend his visit to Frederick 
town, as some of the church historians have erroniously stated, but 
exactly one year later he again visited Monocacy, arriving 
there May 7th, 1748, and on the following day "m Frederick- 
town," a newly laid out town, preached in the schoolhoube," and 
on the same day, m company with an elder of the congregation, 
who offered to accompany him through Virginia, he started on his 
journey. They arrived at Conagocheague at 2 o'clock the next 
morning. Here Mr. Schlatter found a German Reformed con- 
gregation, to whom he preached a sermon. After which he and 
his companion traveled ten miles to the Potomac river and 
crossed over into Virginia, and traveled fifteen miles without 
seeing either a house or human being. On the loth day of 
May they took dinner at Fredericktown, Virginia (now Winches- 
ter). In the evening Mr. Schlatter preached to a Reformed con- 
gregation at Shenandoah (Strasburg). The next day they pro- 
ceeded forty two miles up the valley to New Germantown (New 
Market), where Mr. Schlatter preached to a large congregation. 
He and his companion then retraced their steps to Monocacy, 
where they arrived on May 12th. 

The following day Mr. Schlatter preached at Fredericktown, 
Maryland, '-in a new church which is not yet finished." After 
the sermon he administered the "Holy Supper" to ninety seven 
members, baptized several aged persons and children, married 
three couples and installed elders and deacons. 

He says: "It is a great advantage to this congregation (Monoc- 
acy) that they have the best schoolmaster I have met with in 

11 



America. He (Thomas Schley) spares neither labor nor pains in 
instructing the young and edifying the congregation according to 
his ability by means of singing and reading the word of God and 
printed sermons on every Lord's Day." 

Mr. Sclilatter found the land fruitful for grain and pasture, pro- 
ducing "Turkish corn (maize or Indian corn) almost without 
manure, with stalks ten and more feet long. He found in 
Virginia "deer in droves" and saw "a fearful rattlesnake seven or 
eight feet long and five inches thick. This is a dangerous kind 
of snakes. Still it warns the traveler by rattling when he is yet 
twenty steps off, so that he has time to avoid it." 

There were many Indians in the neighborhood of the settle- 
ments, but Mr. Schlatter found them "well disposed and very 
obliging, and, when not made drunk by strong drink, friendly 
towards Christians." 

Mr. Schlatter, in May, 175 3, again visited Frederick, accompa- 
nied by Rev. Theodore Frankenfield, whom he installed the first 
regular pastor of the Monocacy and Conogocheague congrega 
tions, which, according to Mr. Schlatter's report, July, 1751, were 
the only regularly organized German Reformed congregations in 
Maryland. 

Mr. Muhlenberg arrived at Monocacy, June 24th, 1747, just 
seven weeks aftef the first visit of Mr. Schlatter. Two men from 
Maryland met him at Conowago on the previous day to take him 
to a place thirty-six miles distant. They started in a drenching 
rain, and, finding no house at which to stay, "they were com- 
pelled to ride all night through the wilderness with the rain pour- 
ing down and the poor horses up to their knees in water and 
mire." By morning, June 24th, they reached their quarters. "This 
was the place called Monocacy^ ten miles east of Fredericktown, 
Maryland. Here they found a log church." 

The members of the congregatiorL_assembled, but "before 
sermon Mr. Muhlenberg wrote in the English language in the 
book of church records a number of articles concerning the 
order to be observed in the congregation." This book is now in 
the archives of the Lutheran Church of Frederick. On the back 
is stamped "Ge/niende Manacakee" (^Congregation of the Monocacy. 
It should be greatly prized by the members of that congregation 
from the fact that it contains the rules for the governn:ent of 
their church in the handwriting of the great and good man who 
labored so faithfully for the establishment of Lutheranism in this 

13 



country. From the fact that so few of the names attached to the 
articles in this- charch book are now to be found in the county, it 
is supposed the most of them or their immediate descendants 
drifted into other parts of the country. 

"Mr. Muhlenberg did not find the German Lutherans at Monoc- 
acy in as good condition as Mr. Schlatter found the Reformers. 
The Moravians, with their missionaries, George Ninke and his 
wife, had been among them and made great inroads into the 
church, causing much bitterness and strife among the members, 
which he only pirtially succeeded in removing." 

"Proceeding further, on June 25th, Mr. Muhlenberg and his 
companions came, after a ten-mile ride, to Fredericktotvn. A 
number of Lutherans living there, members of the Monocacy 
congregation, had been prevented from meeting the others on the 
previous day by reason of the rain." The most of these attached 
their signatures to the articles in the church book. After admin- 
istering the Lord's Supper and baptizing some children Mr. 
Muhlenberg returned the same evening to his quarters at Monoc- 
acy, and on the following diy proceeded to Conawago, York, 
Lancaster and to his home, at Philadelphia. 

Among the early membership of this congregation are found 
the names of John George Lay, John Krietzraan, John M. Roemer, 
Peter Axtel, Henry Sechs, Jacob Hoft, Martin Wetzel, George 
Schweinhardt, John Schmidt, John Verdries, Michael Reisner, Dr. 
Schney, John Stolmyer, John Sechs, Valentine Verdries, John 
George Seldner, John Christoph Schmidt, John Vogler, John 
Davis, Frederick Overdries, Martin VVehel, Jr., Nicholas Wehel, 
Frederick Willhaut, George Honig, George Rolz, George M. Hoff- 
man, Peter Apfal, Ludwig Weltner, Frederick Unsalt, Jacob 
Hoen, Hans Frederick Geyer. These names are attached to the 
rules in the church book referred to. 

At later periods came the Applebees, Boyers, Hardts, Fishers, 
Debruers, Hallers, Homes, Conradts, Ebberts, Jenkins, How- 
mans, Levys, Englebrechts, Mayheffers, Mayers, Myers, Metards, 
Nixdoffs, Weltzhimers, Bechtels, Cullers, Anglemans, Metzgers 
Hoffmans, Dills, Fearhakes, Reichs, etc. 

Monocacy was not only the earliest permanent settlement of 
Germans in Maryland, but if the statement of Rev. Dr. Zacha- 
rias, in his centenary sermon Whit-Sunday, 1848 — that Germans 
settled between the Monocacy river and the mountains in 1710- 
171 2, be correct, Monocacy was the first settlement of white 

13 



people within the limits of Western Maryland. It was certainly 
the most important settlement of Germans in the State until the 
erection of Frederick county, in 1748, when Fredericktown, 
having been made the county seat, rose into prominence and the 
headquarters of both churches were transferred to the more popu 
lous centre; and as Joppa, one of the early county seats of Balti- 
more county, was absorbed by Baltimoretown, so Fredericktown 
absorbed ihe more ancient Monocacy. 

The exact location of the old log church to which Mr. Muhlen- 
berg refers is not known. The only data that has come down 
to us is, that it was erected on the west side of the Monocacy 
river, near where the Virginia road crossed the river and about 
ten miles above where Fredericktown was afterwards laid out, and 
about three and a-half miles southeast of the subsequent settle- 
ment at Graceham. This would locate it a little south of the 
present Cregerstown. 

This building is said to have stood until the commencement of 
the present century, but not a vestige of it remains to mark the 
spot where the first German congregations in Maryland were 
organized and where they worshipped for a period of fifteen to 
twenty years. 

After the absorption of Monocacy the section of the county 
known as the Glades became populous, and a log church was 
built in 1750 upon land ceded by Lord Baltimore. After the 
Revolution and the confiscation of the property of Mr. Dulaney, 
who had become possessed of a large portion of the reserved 
lands of Lord Baltimore, the General Assembly of Maryland 
passed an act confirming the title for a five-acre lot to the 
German Church on "Monocacy Manor." For a period of 
over eighty years the congregation at the <'Glades" was under 
the pastoral charge of the ministers of the Reformed Church at 
Frederick, but in 1833 it was detached therefrom and was 
united with the congregations at Woodsboro, Rocky Hill an 
Cregerstown. - 

Between 1748 and 1754, 2,800 Palatinates came into Mary- 
land by way of Baltimore and Annapolis ; some of whom located 
in Baltimore and Baltimore county, but the larger part settled in 
and about Fredericktown. Unfortunately the shipping lists of 
immigrants to Maryland have not been preserved, but it is known 
that among the immigrants who arrived during the periods 

14 



named were Christopher B. Mayer and his son-in-law, Rev. Ber- 
nard Houseal, who, in i 753, became the first regular pastor of the 
Lutheran Church at Frederick. 

Mr. Mayer brought a letter from CeciHus Calvert, Secretary 
and acting Proprietary of Maryland, to Benjamin Tasker, of 
Annapolis, president of the Council and one of the original 
large land owners in Frederick county, requesting him to give the 
necessary assistance to Mr. Mayer and those accompanying him 
to forward them to Manockesy, their destination. Mr. Mayer was 
cousin to Christian Mayer, who settled in Baltimore in 1781.; 
descendants of both of whom have been among the most promi- 
nent and distinguished citizens of Maryland, among them the late 
Brantz Mayer and Mr. Charles F. Mayer, president of the Balti- 
more and Ohio Railroad; the last named is a descendant of both, 
his father having been a son of Christian Mayer and his mother a 
descendant of Christopher. 

SETTLEMENTS AT CONOGOCHEAGUE AND HAGERSTOWN. 

The settlement known as Conogochegiie was near the present 
town of Clearspring and seven or eight miles southwest of 
Hagerstown. The first settlers, who were mostly Germans and 
members of the Reformed and Lutheran Churches, it is thought, 
came soon after 1735. 

At the time of Mr. Schlatter's visit, in 1 748, and until after 
the French and Indian war, Conogocheague was the westernmost 
settlement in Maryland. As has been stated, the settlers built 
a stockade fort near the settlement. They also built another on 
the Potomac river, in which their families sought refuge when the 
Indians became hostile. 

The site of the log church at Conogocheague, in which Mr. 
Schlatter preached in 1748,15 now occupied by a stone church, 
built in 1795, known as St. Paul's, distant about one and a-half 
miles from Clearspring. It is now and always has been a "Union 
Church," both Lutherans and Reformers worshipping therein. 
The first regular German Reformed pastor was Theodore Frank- 
enfield, who served this as well as the congregation at Frederick- 
town from 1753 to 1755. It was, perhaps, during the pastorate 
of this gentleman that Monocacy lost its prestige, as after 1755 I 
was unable to find any allusion whatever to the place, settlement 
or church called by that name. 

Jonathan Hager, a native of Germany, emigrated to America 
some time prior to 1739, for on December i6th,. of that year, he 

15 



obtained a patent for 200 acres of land in Washington, then 
Prince George, and subsequently Frederick county. At later 
periods he took out other patents, aggregating in all 2,500 acres. 
In 1762 he laid out a town which he named "Elizabeth," in 
honor of his wife, but it was subsequently changed to Hagers- 
town. It soon became flourishing, and by 1775 it contained over 
100 houses, which, by 1807, was increased to 300, besides a court- 
house, jail, schoolhouse and four churches. 

Mr. Hager was accidentally killed November 6th, 1775, by a 
large piece of timber rolling upon and crushing him while 
superintending the erection of the German Reformed Church at 
Hagert^town, of which he was an active and zealous member. 

Among the early German settlers at Conogocheague and 
Hagerstown were the Prathers, Poes, Burkhardts, Startzmans, 
Snevelys, Stubs, Wolgamotts, Hausers, Elwicks, Kendrick'^, 
Shryocks, etc. 

SETTLEMENT AT GRACEHAM. 

Between 1745 and 1749 a number of German families belong- 
ing to the sect of Moravians setiled at what is now the village of 
Graceham, on the Western Maryland Railroad, Frederick county, 
twelve miles northwest of Frederick city. A number of these 
had removed from Monocacy, others from the Pennsylvania 
settlements. 

Among the fiist settlers were the missionaries, George Ninke 
and Lorenz Nyberg, who, as, we have seen, had been among the 
Lutherans at Monocacy, and various parts of Pennsylvania, 
creating dissensions among them. In 1768 they built a log 
church on a ten-acre lot donated to them by James Carroll, a 
large land owner in that vicinity. The church soon gave way to 
a more substantial structure, which stood until 1822, when a third 
church was built, which is stdl standing. Graceham is the seat of 
the first Moravian church in Maryland, and for a long time was a 
noted centre of religious worship. 

Its earliest settlers were Germans, or descendants of Germans, 
who drifted into Maryland from the Pennsylvania settlements. 
Among them were the Harbaughs, Boilers, Hens, Ebenhards,, 
Kreigers, Reinekes, Lydricks, Seiss, Schmidts, Utleys, Williards, 
Zahns, Herzers, Rosens, Renzands, Schaafs and Richters. 

SeTTLEMENT AT FLEECY DALE. 

In 1784 John Frederick Amelung came from Bremen with a 
colony of 300 to 400 persons, among whom were bakers, black- 

16 



smiths, doctois, shoemakers, tailors, etc., and settled on Bennett's 
Creek, near the Monocacy, in what is now the Urbana district of 
Frederick county. Here they erected a factory for the making 
of glass, and it is said to have been the first works established in 
America for the manufacture of hollow glassware. 

President Washington, in a letter to Jefferson referring to these 
works, says : "A factory of glass is established upon a large scale 
on Monocacy river, near Frederick, in Maryland. I am informed 
it will produce this year glass of various kinds to the amount of 
ten thousand pounds." 

Amelung manufactured and presented in person to Washington 
"two capacious goblets made of flint glass, exhibiting the gen- 
eral's coat of arms." The story goes, that Amelung, armed with 
these goblets and dressed in full court costume, proceeded to 
Mount Vernon. Crossing the lawn, he accosted a man in his 
shirt sleeves mounted on a ladder fixing the grape vines, and was 
greatly astonished to find that the person addressed was the great 
Washington himself 

A large number of pieces of the glassware made by Amelung 
are still in the possession of the Masonic Lodge at Alexandria, of 
which Washington was a member and its first master. The old 
Holland Masonic Lodge, of New York, also possesses a number 
of decanters, punch and wine glasses made by this factory, pre- 
sented to it by John Pintard, of Baltimore; and a gentleman of 
Baltimore county, who married a granddaughter of Amelung, has 
quite a collection of the glass made by Amelung, consisting of 
mirrors, goblets, wine glasses, etc., the quality and workmanship 
of which cannot be surpassed at this day. 

These works were brought to Baltimore in 1789 and occupied 
the site of the present glass works of Charles J. Baker & Sons, on 
the south side of the basin, under the north side of Federal Hill. 

The Amelung colonists established a Masonic Lodge, of which 
Abram Few, who was one of the Maryland delegates to the con- 
vention that framed the Constitution of the United States, was 
master. Members of this lodge, in 1799, assisted in the organi- 
zation, of the first Masonic Lodge, Hiram, No- 27, held at Fred- 
ericktown. 

Before the close of the war of the Revolution there were also 
large settlements of Germans at Middletown, Creagerstown, 



17 



Sharpsburg, Tanneytown, Tom's Creek, Point Creek, Hauvers, 
Owens Creek, Median icstown, Union Bridge, Emmettsburg and 
AVoodsbourgh, all then in Frederick county. 

Many of the descendants of the early German settlers of Mary- 
land were our Western pioneers, and their lamilies are now found 
in every Western State up to the Pacific coast. Tiffin and Day- 
ton, Ohio, were long the favorite points for emigration by the 
Germans and their descendants of Frederick county. Many of 
them extended their pilgrimage to Indiana and Illinois, and until 
as late as the commencement of the second third of the present 
century this was termed "Going to the /<?r West." Frequently 
several families would start in company, carrying their entire 
effects in large covered wagons. A journey to Indiana required 
a full month, and was regarded by them and their friends almost 
as great an undertaking as did the first settlers look upon their 
voyage across the ocean. But the hardships and deprivations of 
the later emigrant were mild in comparison with those of the 
earlier, who not unfrequently were confined in a crowded ship for 
^xty to ninety d^ys. Indeed instances are on record where vessels 
crowded with immigrants were one hundred and twenty days in 
crossing the ocean. 

CUSTOMS, HABITS, ETC., OF THE EARLY SETTLERS. 

The first settlers usually came in colonies of eight or ten fami- 
lies, and always located near some spring or running stream of 

•' water, of which there was an abundant supply throughout Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland and Virginia. 

They sometimes had a covered wagon, in which their women 
and children slept, and which was made use of also to convey 
their effects, among which was the huge iron-bound chest, with 
which every family was supplied. 

In the absence of the wagons, the spreading branches of large 
trees was the only protection from the weather until they could 
erect cabins. These were built of rough logs, the interstices 
between them were closed with mud or clay mixed with straw, 
the bark of trees formed the roof, and flagstones, when obtain- 

'< able, were used for flooring. 

::^=^ But as sawmills began to be established trunks of trees were 
sawed into boards and scantling, and the second house, usually 
two stories high, but still of logs, was erected. As prosperity 
blessed the labor of the husbandmen many of these before the 

18 



/ 



end of the century were superseded by larger and still more com- 
fortable dwellings and barns of stone, and sometiaies of brick 
imported from England. 

Many of the second houses may still be seen through the coun- 
try, but, having been lathed and plastered inside and weather- 
boarded outside, they present quite a modern appearance. K first 
house may also occasionally be found, perhaps, now used as a 
blacksmith shop, or for the more ignoble purpose — a hennery. 

Owing to the cost of ocean transportation but few wagons were 
brought by the first settlers, and it is said that wagons made 
entirely of wood were sometimes used by them. The wheels were 
sawed from trunks of the gum orbuttonwood tree. Ploughs were 
also used, made of wood, but ere long all this was changed — the 
rich ore mines were opened, iron was made, the forge set up and 
all kinds of useful implements were manufactured. 

For a period of nearly fifty years after the first settlements in 
Pennsylvania were made, transportation of goods was entirely 
made by means of pack horses. Large sacks or wallets and baskets 
were constructed and thrown over the backs of horses as panniers, 
into which the article to be transported were placed. A horseman 
would sometimes be almost invisible by reason of the mountains 
of pork, flax, butter, poultry and even live calves and sheep con- 
tained therein, on their way to Philadelphia and Baltimore, there 
to be exchanged for merchandise, which in the same manner 
would be transported to the interior. 

By the year 1739 the Indian trails began to be converted into 
wide country roads, and "wagoning" between the interior and 
the seaports became quite a business, and long before the close of 
the century the "Conestogo" wagon was quite an institution and 
continued to be for many years. Many living remember these 
wagons, with their brightly painted red wheels and sky-blue bod- 
ies, drawn by four, six and sometimes eight horses, furnished with 
bells fitted into an iron arch over the collars of the horses. The 
wheel horses carried the bass bells and the others had bells pro 
ducing different notes, and so arranged as to produce harmony. 

The opening of the wagon business necessitated the erection of 
a great number of inns or taverns along the roads and also in the 
towns, where the drivers, as well as the horses, took their needed 
rest and refreshment. Many of these tavern stands are still to be 
seen along our roads, as well as in our cities. The owners of pack 

1<J 



horses bitterly opposed the use of wagons as an invasion uf on 
their rights and prerogatives, as did the wagoners themselves some 
years later bitterly oppose the introduction of the railroads. 

Thus step by step has the march of improvement gone onward 
and still continues to go on. P'irst the pack horse, trudging over 
a narrow defile through the almost impenetrable wilderness, then 
the wagon, carrying, it was thought, a great load, and making 
four to six miles an hour; now the steam locomotive, drawing 
more than one hundred horses can carry and at the rate of thirty 
to forty miles an hour. 

A long day's lourney of our forefathers can now be accom- 
plished in an hour. The Rifle Company, formed in Frederick- 
town by its patriotic citizens, upon hearing of the Battle of 
Bunker Hill, under the leadership of Captain Cressap, and his 
gallant lieutenant, afterwards the distinguished Colonel Otho 
Holland Williams, was nearly three weeks in marching to the 
Camp of Washington before Boston. Now it is possible for a 
resident of your city to breakfast quietly at his home, luncheon 
in Philadelphia, dine in New York and sup and sleep in Boston 
on the same day. 

These are but a few of the great changes and improvements 
which have taken place in the county, as well as in the country 
generally, since just one hundred and sixty years ago Thomas 
Schley came with his one hundred Palatanate families and settled 
in the beautiful valley of the Catoctin. 



20 



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)iag:ram showing the location of "Monocacy" and sites of the old log ehurch, 
fn, grave yards, etc. • • • • old houses. 



SUPPLEMENTARY. 

THE VILLAGE MONOCACY. 

Since the completion of the foregoing pages I have been con- 
tinuing my investigation with a view to more definitely locate the 
ancient Monocacy, without doubt the first, and for some years the 
most important settlement of white people, (with the exception 
perhaps of Montgomery county,) in any part of Western Mary- 
land. The result of this investigation has almost certainly con- 
firmed the opinion I expressed that Monocacy was located near 
the present village of Creagerstown. 

Rev. George A. Whitmore, of Thurraont, Frederick county, 
who has charge of the Reformed Church at that place and Crea- 
gerstown, has taken great interest in my investigations and most 
kindly aided me therein, writes me as follows: "I have also 
been diligent in my enquiries concerning the location of the 'Old 
Log Church,' and for reasons which may interest you also in the 
future. The informaton which I have been able to gather from 
the oldest and most reliable citizens here, one of whom is now 90 
years old, and a man remarkably preserved in mind, Mr. W. L. 
Grimes, Sr., also Mrs. Michael Zimmerman and Miss Melisia 
Myers— both of them bordering on 80 years, and others— it seems 
that the present Creagerstown is the site where the old church 
stood. These good people, who are all connected with the oldest 
and most reliable families, remember quite well tie old weather- 
boarded log meeting //^z/j^ which preceded the present brick church 
in 1834. Mr. Grimes helped to tear down the old building and 
purchased some of the logs and boarding, which he used in the 
construction of some houses in the village, and they are there to- 
day. From what I can Ikarn from them, the church was orign- 
ally built simply of logs, and that the weather-boarding was sup- 
plied many years afterwards. The new brick church was erected 
a few rods north of the old site on a new lot containing one and 
a-half acres, which, together with the old location, is covered 
with graves. The first graveyard lay immediately in the rear of 
the old church, and contains also an acre and a-half, but not a 
tombstone can be found, only the indenture of graves covered 
with a mat of broom sage, under which no doubt much history 
is hidden. 

21 



'<Some of the graves that are marked bear dates as tollows: — 
Michael Zimmerman, born 1775, died 1846. George Becken- 
baugh, born 1722, died 1793. Ann Maria Blumenshine born 
1742, died April 24th, 1794, etc. 

"Several acres were added on the south side several years ago, 
and the cemetery is n > doubt the largest in the county outside of 
Frederick City. 

"Then again I have found traces in two instances, p/ain am^ 
unniistakcable, of the 'Old Monocacy Road," of which you 
speak, passing just below the village in a southwestern direction 
and crossing Hunting Creek, where, according to tradition, there 
was an old tavern, and where there are ndw three or four old 
dwellings. 

"Tradition also says the Monocacy road crossed the river at 
Foe's Ford, which has not been used for over a century, but 
corresponds with the two points to which you refer. The road on 
both sides of the creek lies in timber land of old sturdy oak. 

"The distances also which you have indicated point to that 
spot, viz: a short distance southeast of Creagerstown. The 
location of the place, elevated, affording a fine view, and sur- 
rounded by beautiful sipping lands, all are m evidence." 

This statement of Mr. Whitmore, agrees in every particular 
with the data we have heretofore been able to obtain, and I 
therefore believe that the few old houses and the old graveyard 
are perhaps all that remains of the ancient village Monocacy- 
Although it never reached the dignity of a laid-oflftown as its later 
and more successful rival Frederick did, yet, as we have seen by 
the journals of the Reverends Schlatter and Muhlenberg, as well as 
the reference Washington makes to it in one of his letters, it was a 
point of some importance in Colonial days. 

But there are other and much earlier references to this place 
than those referred to. As early as 1729 Charles Carroll, the 
elder, located a tract of 10,000 acress of land on Pipe Creek 
and Conowago and Codorus Creeks, lying partly in what is now 
York and Adams counties, Pennsylvania, but then all claimed by 
the Maryla nd authorities to_he within their p roy|nce. 

In 1732 Mr. Carroll, in company with a Mr. Ross, visited these 
lands the better to inform themselves how to finish a survey of the 
same. In his complaint to the Pennsylvania authorities of the 
interference he received from some of their people, he refers to a 



certain John Tradane, a Marylander, and a resident at Monochasie . 
And in Kercheval's history of the settlements in Shenandoah 
Valley, it is stated that among the early settlers there, was Benja- 
min Allen, Riley Moore and William White who had come from 
Motwcacy in Maryland in the year 1734. These facts incontesta- 
bly show that as early as 1732 and 1734 Monocacy was a place of 
some prominence. 

Although as stated it never reached the dignity of a "laid off 
town," it wonld seem, however, that even as late as 1747, it pos- 
sessed better accommodations for strangers than did the "laid-off" 
town of Frederick, for on neither of the visits of Mess. Schlatter 
and Muhlenberg to that town did they ever stop there over night, 
but always returned to "their quarters" at Monocacy. 

It was such a village as one may see today in sparcely-settled 
countries, containing perhaps a public house, a blacksmith sliop, 
a store, a few dwellings and a church nearby, where the people 
living for miles in the surrounding country, congregate as 
occasion requires. 

Although I have been unable to locate any settlers in the vicin- 
ity of Monocacy prior to 1732, there are reasons to believe that 
tkers were some in t'hat vicinity prior to that year. But it is^ 
known that before the year 1750 a large number of Germans an 
their descendants had found their way into Maryland via the set- 
tlements in York and Lancaster counties and sertled on the lands 
contiguous to the settlement of Monocacy. Among these were 
the Zimmermans, Kolbs, Hoffmans, Beckenbaughs, Bickels, Tra- 
danes, Devilbiss, Wetzels, Eckmans, Cramers (Kramers), Brinkers, 
Crise (Krise), Gushorns, Dohlmans, Blumingshiue, Protsmans, 
Shrumps, Stulls, Cullers, Creigers (Kriegers), Poes (Pohs), Eich- 
elbergers, Shrivers, Weinbrenners, Shryocks, Wilhides and many 
others. 

There were also a number of settlers of English extraction, 
among these were the Beattys, who were large landholders in 
that section, the Campbells, Grimes, Hammetts, Heads and others. 

John Cramer, a German, or a descendant of a German, be- 
tween 1760 and 1770, laid out a village on grounds belonging to 
him, which was named in his honor, "Creagerstown. The site 
selected was a few rods north of the Old Log Church, and a little 
less than a mile from the first settlement. The site selected for 
the new village was on more elevated ground, which fact doubtless 
caused it to expand to the detriment of the older village. It 

33 



^^ 



is to be regretted that the new village did not retain the ancient 
name Monocacy, as Creagerstown then could claim the honor of 
being the oldest town in Western Maryland. 

The Albaughs, Zollers, Harbaughs, Stauffers, Stimmels, Smiths, 
Cronises, Millers, Derrs, Delaplanes, Shanks, Hauvers, Dudderers? 
Fogies, Adams, Weavers, Barracks, Hedges, Crimms, Wiers, 
Kellers, Snooks, Reamers, Snyders, Clems, Ramsbergs, Shaefers, 
Lettermans, Wormans, Houcks and Heffners were also settled in 
what is now Hauvers, Lewistown, Woodsboro, Liberty and Me- 
chanicstown Districts prior to 1 760. 

CONOWAGA. 

The place or settlement Cotiowaga, where Mr. Muhlenberg 
preached "in a large barn, because of the large numbej of peo- 
ple," was not the Conowaga where Mr. Schlatter preached in the 
same and following years. The first mentioned was near Hano- 
ver, Adams County, Pennsylvania, and the present St. Matthew's 
Lutheran Congregation at that town, is the lineal descendant of the 
one to whom Mr. Muhlenberg preached, June 23, 1747. It was or- 
ganized. May, 1743, by Rev. David Chandler, of York, who, in 
the same year, organized the "Evangelical Lutheran Congrega- 
tion at Monocacy," of both of which he became pastor, and 
served as such until his death in the following years. Rev. Lars 
Nyberg then became pastor of both congregations, but being 
charged with a leaning to Moravianism he was soon removed. 

There was not at that time more than a half dozen either 
Lutheran or German Reformed ministers in the country, and as 
there was an urgent demand for them by the largely increasing 
numbers of German immigrants coming to the settlements, the 
cupidity of some unscrupulous persons was excited to assume 
unlawfully the sacred office of Ministers of the Gospel. Among 
these was one Carl Rudolph, Prince of Wurtemburg, as he styled 
himself. By means of forged papers, letters and documents, he 
succeeded in obtaining the charge of the Conowaga and Monoc- 
acy Congregations. In this capacity he also ministered to the 
part of the Lutheran Monocacy Congregation residing at Fred- 
ericktown, but his dissolute and immoral character soon became 
known, and he was dismissed. 

A certain Mr. Schmidt, a dentist, and a Mr. Streiter, a school- 
master, neither of whom, it was said, were regularly ordained 
ministers, for a time succeeded in obtaining the charge of these 
congregations. An aged minister, Valentine Kraft, a Moravian, 

24 



also had for a time a following in both congregations. He re- 
moved to Frederick in 1749, where he died m 1751. During the 
incumbancy of this gentleman, the Conowaga Congregation was 
separated from that at Monocacy. 

It was not until 1753, when Rev. Mr. Hauseal removed to Fred- 
erick,- and was installed pastor of the Lutheran Congregation, 
that peace, harmony and regularity was established in the Mo- 
nocacy Congregation, about which time its headquarters were per- 
manently transferred to Frederick, where it has since had a 
peaceful and prosperous existence. 

The site of the log meeting house at ('onowago, where Mr. 
Schlatter preached in May, 1747 and 1748, is now covered by 
Christ's German Reformed Church, a short distance from Littles 
town in the same county, and distant about six miles from Han- 
over. This congregation was organized by Mr. Schlatter May 
6th, 1747, who, two days later, May 8th, 1747, organized 
the Reformed congregation at Monocacy by ordaining Elders 
and Deacons. These congregations were united under one 
charge until about the year 1760. I have been unal)le 
to trace the visit of a Reformed minister to either Conowago or 
Monocacy until that of Mr. Schlatter, although doubtless both 
had been visited at irregular times by one or other of the few 
ministers residing in Pennsylvania, but there is no known record 
of any such visitations. At the time Mr. Schley was schoolmaster 
at Frederick and Monocacy to the Reformers a Mr. Otto Rudolph 
Crecelius was acting in that capacity for the Lutherans at the 
same places. 

From all that has been said I think the Lutheran congregation 
may safely date from the year 1743, when it was organized by 
Rev. David Chandler, of York. And that the Reformed congre- 
gation may date its organization from May 8th, 1747, when Rev. 
Mr. Schlatter ordained Elders and Deacons at Monocacy. 
Although, as stated, both lead an irregular organization for some 
years previously. 



25 




PULPIT OLD GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH, 
Rev. Daniel Zacharias, D. D. 



26 



THE OLD GERMAN REEORMED CHURCH. 

The engraving facing the title page of this work gives a view of 
the tower of the Old German Reformed Church erected in 1763 
and 1764, which, including the steeple erected at the same time, 
was sixty feet high. This structure is without doubt the oldest 
church tower standing in our State. In a letter written by a resi- 
dent of Frederick in 1773, the writer states, "we have the only 
church with a steeple in the Province." 

The graceful spire shown in the engraving, was erected in 1807 
upon the orignal stone-work by Stephen Stoner (Steiner), archi- 
tect and contractor. The original bells, which had been procur- 
ed from London at a cost of £130, were superseded by two larger 
bells cast in New Haven, Connecticut, but it was said they were 
inferior in chime to the first ones. 

The town clock was constructed and placed in the steeple 
about this time by Frederick Heisely. For nearly a century 
therefore this clock has been tolling the hours of passing time to 
the good people of Frederick. 

The tower, as originally constructed, stood out from the wall- 
entrance into the church being through a large door in the tower. 
The recesses between it and the end wall of the church were 
occupied by one-story frame buildings, in one of which was kept 
the biers and grave-diggers' implements, in the other was housed 
the engine of the Independent Fire Company. These buildings 
were standing within the recollection of the writer. But in 1836 
they were removed and the recesses were built up on either side 
even with the roof of the church, as shown in the engraving, and 
the stairways to the gallery were constructed therein. 

The old pulpit, a partial representation of which is given on 
the preceding page — with the beloved pastor Rev. Dr. Daniel 
Zacharias, who served the congregation from 1835 to 1875, 
standing therein, was erected in 1822-1823. It is to be regretted 
that the engraving does not show the entire pulpit, which was 
quaint and quite picturesque. The railings and banisters were 
uiade of solid mahogany. 

In 1 88 1, as stated elsewhere, all the old church except the 
tower and steeple were removed, and the present Trinity Chapel 
built upon the site. 

It is much to be regretted that an engraving was never made 
of the Lutheran Church built in 1752 1758, and enlarged in 
1824. It was very similar in size and construction to that of the 
Reformed Church, except that the steeple was not so high, and 
had but one belfry. This venerable building was removed in 1854 
to make way for the present two steeple church. 

27 




The Old Glatz (Schultz) House. 

The first StoiU'-HoiiSL' built West of the Susquehanna River. 

Anno 1734. 



28 



AN HISTORIC OLD HOUSE. 

The engraving on the preceding page is a representation of one 
of the first two stone houses erected on the west side of the Sus- 
(juhanna river, either in Maryland or Pennsylvania. It is located 
on Krentz Creek, about four-and-a-half miles northeast of York? 
Pennsylvania. This interesting relic of the early days, now some- 
what modernized, is owned by Mrs. Margaret Glatz Mathews, of 
Baltimore, in whose family, the Hiestandsand (rlatzs, it has been 
for many years, and by the courtesy of whom I am enabled to 
present a representation of the building as it stood before it 
was repairedtwenty-eight years ago. 

Gibson, in his history of York county, referring to this old 
house, says : "It was, so far as known, the first large stone house 
erected within the limits of York county. It was built by John 
Schultz and his wife Christiana in the year 1734, at a time when 
there was doubtless no other two-story houses west of the Sus- 
quehana. It was in Hellam township. Since the formation of 
Spring Garden it is located within that township." 

"This house is in use, in excellent state of preservation, even 
though it is now (1885) one hundred and fifty-one years old. 

"In its early history it was one of the old-time public inns, and 
if it could speak might tell many an interesting story of our 
colonial days, as well as of revolutionary times. A well authen- 
ticated tradition asserts that on the 30th of September, i777' ^^e 
members of the Continental Congress, while on their way to 
York to make that place the seatof government during the British 
invasion of Pennsylvania and occupancy of Philadelphia, stopped 
at this house for rest and refreshment. They were traveling on 
horseback and the saddles used by those distinguished patriots 
greatly excited the curiosity of the surrounding populace, who 
were then unaccustomed to seeing such expensive luxuries. 

"The house is quaint and antique in design, though yei a con- 
venient and comfortable residence. One of the walls* contains 
the following words carefully carved on a sandstone tablet : '17 
ano 34. Habich. Johann Schvltz, vnd Christiana Seine frav 
disses havs bavt." "Translation — In the year 1734, John Schultz 
and his wife Christiana built this house."* 

Rupp, in his history of York county, says : "About the year 
1735 Jf>hn and Martin Schultz each built a stone dwelling house 
on Krentz Creek." While the house built by the first-named as 

I'This inscription is carved on a large white stone tablet over the front door- 
way. 

29 



stated, still exists, and from its appearance looks as though it 
may continue to do so for another one hundred and sixty years, 
there remains no trace of the house built by the latter, the great 
grandfather of the present writer. 

Nearby the house we have been describing is the site of the 
prison in which British anfi Hessian prisoners were confined 
during the Revolutionary War. 

"In 1 781, an act of Congress directed that the British prisoners 
confined at the barracks in Frederick and Winchester should be 
removed to York, Pennsylvania, from fear of rescue by Cornwal- 
lis. Twenty acres of woodland near this house was cleared and 
cultivated by the prisoners. Huts, mostly of stone, were erected 
and surrounded by a picket fence fifteen feet high. Some of the 
timber of the fence and stones of the huts yet remain. While 
there, a plague of some kind broke out among them, and a large 
number, computed by some at a thousand of them died. Their 
graves are still visible ma'-ked with stones." — Address of John 
Gibson, Esq., at Centennial Celebration at York, July ^th, 1876. 

As the section of country in which this old house is situated 
was claimed by the Maryland authorities to be within their prov- 
ince, forming a part of Prince George (afterwards Frederick) and 
Baltimore counties, also that it was the scene of much of the dis- 
orders and conflicts which took place about the time of its erec- 
tion, growing out of the dispute over the boundary line between 
Maryland and Pennsylvania it was thought the foregoing as well 
as the following, quoted from both sides of the controversy might 
prove of interest to the reader. 

Glossbrenner, in his history of Lancaster and York counties, saysj 

''The first settlements in the present York county were made 
on Krentz Creek and in the neighborhood of where Hanover 
now stands. Before the erection of the county of Lancaster in 
1729, a number of persons resided on tracts of land lying on the 
west side of the Susquehanna, within the bounds of what is now 
York county. These person remained, however, but a short time 
on the lands they occupied — were not allowed to warm in the 
nests on which they had squatted — and may not be looked upon 
as the j)rogenitors of the present possessors of the soil of York 
county. They were known only as '^Maryland intruders,'" and 
were removed in the latter part of the year 1728 by order of the 
Deputv Governor and Council, at the request of the Indians, and 
in conforinit}' with their existing treaties." 

30 



This is the Pennsylvania side of the story, but there is another : 
— a J/<zr>'/a«c/side— as intimated in the first part of this paper. 
Lord Baltimore claimed under his charter, all the land and water 
to the present New Jersey and a strip of land twenty miles wide . 
above the present boundary line between Maryland and Pennsyl- 
vania. The 40 degree, north latitude, was, by the charter^ 
granted by Charles 1 to Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, 
as the north boundary line of the province. Relying upon the 
validity of their title, the proprietories and their agents issued 
warrants and leases for lands in what is now York and Adami. 
counties, Pennsylvania. As early as 1722 a warrant was issued 
for the survey of a Manor to the Lord Baltimore upon the banks 
of the Susquehanna river, lying in what was claimed to be Prince 
George and Baltimore counties. 

In 1727 John Digges, a resident of Prince George county, ob- 
tained a warrant from the Maryland authorities for 10,000 acres 
of land known as "Digges' Chance" in the neighborhood of the 
present Hanover. And as mentioned elsewhere Charles Carroll, 
the elder, in 1729 located a warrant for 10,000 acres vacant 
land lying on Pipe Creek and Conowaga and Codorus Creeks, all 
of whicii were held to be within the bounds of the Province of 
Maryland. 

The earliest settlers, under Maryland grants and leases, were 
Irish and Scotch, but these were soon followed by large numbers 
of Germans, who, for the most part, settled on Krentz Creek. 
As Glossbrenner states, "about 1729 the Pennsylvania authorities 
commenced to issue warrants for land on the west side of the Sus- 
quehanna, and took measures to resist by force the attempts of the 
Marylanders to survey and grant warrants for land in that sec- 
tion. I'his brought on a conflict, and for some years there was 
great disorders in that section, resulting in several instances in 
bloodshed. 

The celebrated Thomas Cressup, father of the no less celebrat- 
ed Michael Cressup, took an active part in these border troubles. 
He formed, with the knowledge of Governor Ogle, an association 
of fifty men for the purpose of driving out the (Germans on the 
west side of the Susquehanna, who had located on Pennsylvania 
varrants: in the prosecution of their designs they killed one man. 
An attack was then made on Cressup',s residence by a body of 
irmed men from Pennsylvania, who set fire to his house, in which 
himself and family and others had taken refuge. One of Cres- 

31 



sup's men was killed and he himself was wounded and made 
prisoner and carried to Philadelphia, where he was confined for 
nearly a year. 

"This fierce border warfare at length attained to so alarming a 
character tliat the Governor and General Assembly of Maryland 
deemed it necessary to make a true representation to the King 
and Proprietary of the impious treatment which this Province in 
general and more particularly your Majesty's subjects residing on 
the northern borders thereof have of late suffered from the Gov- 
ernment and inhabitants of the Province of Pennsylvania. 

"From this address it appears that the German settlers of whom 
so much has been said, had in the first place applied to the 
authorities of Maryland for permission to settle on the land in 
dispute, that considerable quantities of land had been allotted to 
them (in what is now York county, Pa.,) and that for a time they 
had paid taxes to the Government of Maryland, and in every 
way acknowledged its jurisdiction. The address charged, how- 
ever, that they had been seduced from their allegiance by emissa- 
ries from Pennsylvania, who promised them lighter taxes under 
that province, and that they had accordingly refused to yield 
further obedience to Maryland. It was to reduce these people 
to submission and to maintain the proper authority of Maryland 
that Cressup's association was formed, and it was in the attempt 
to defend her territory that he was subjected to the violence and 
imprisonment for which the Governor and Assembly now sought 
redress. This address had the effect of drawing from the King 
an order in Council dated August i8, 1737, in which the Govern- 
ors of Maryland and Pennsylvania were commanded on pain of 
his Majesty's highest displeasure to put a stop to the turmoils 
riots and outrageous disorders on the border of their [irovinces." 
—{Scharfs IV. Md. Vol. I, page 115.) 

We now give the Pennsylvania version of the story : 

"About fifty or sixty persons, heads of German families, ad 
dressed Governor Ogle August 11, 1736, complaining of the op- 
pressions they had met with from Maryland — different from the 
Maryland tenants — which made them conclude that the Governor 
and Magistrates of Maryland themselves did not believe them to 
be settled in their province, but that they had been seduced and 
made use of, first by promises, and then by threats and punish- 
ment, to answer purposes which were unjustifiable, and would end 

33 



in their ruin; wherefore they, with many of their neighbors, being 
at last truly sensible of the wrong they had done the Pennsylvania 
proprietors in settling on their lands without paying obedience to 
their government, did resolve to return to their duty, and live 
under the laws and (jovernment of Pennsylvania, in which they 
believed themselves seated; and that they would adhere to, till 
the contrary should be determined by a legal decision of the dis- 
puted bounds; and their honest and just intention they desired 
to be made known to the Marvland Governor. 

"Two days after writing to Governor O^le, forty seven of 
them signed and sent a petition to Mr. Logan, President of the 
Council, at Philadelphia, setting forth that they had been de- 
ceived through their ignorance, to settle under Maryland; and that 
the river was the division — that they had been illy used — that 
they were now informed that not the river, but an east and west 
line across the river must be the division; and observing that the 
people on the east side of the river, inhabitants of Pennsylvania, 
who live much more southwest than they, enjoyed their possess- 
ions peaceably without any claim from Maryland, they saw they 
had been imposed upon, to answer some purpose from Maryland, 
and that they were not settled within that Province, as made to 
believe; from a sense whereof, and of the wrong they were doing 
to Pennsylvania, they resolved to return to their duty and prayed 
the President of the Council to impute their late errors to their 
want of better information, and to receive them into the protec- 
tion of Pennsylvania laws and government, to which they promised 
all faithful obedience for the future." 

"They were according to their petition received as tenants of 
Pennsylvania. 

"This course exceedingly exasperated the Marylanders— they 
now resorted to sterner measures for the purpose of ejecting the 
miscreants from their possessions." — {Rupp, 551.) 

Then ensued the disorders to which I have referred. 

The order of the King met with a ready compliance, and an 
agreement was made in 1738 providing for the running of a pro- 
visional line between the provinces which was not to interfere 
with the actual possessions of the settlers, but merely to suspend 
all grants of the disputed territory as defined by that line until 
the final adjustment of the boundaries, of which was not effected 
until 1763. 

Among the Calvert papers recovered through the instrumental- 

38 



ity of the Maryland Historical Society a few year since was found 
a false map, made, it is presumed, at the instigation of the 
Penns; on which Cape Henlopen, the beginning of the east line 
of Lord Baltimore grant, was placed twenty miles further south 
than it is in fact. The production of this map, it is sup[)osed, 
caused Charles Lord Baltimore to enter into an agreement by 
which he conceded nearly everything deminded by the Penns, 
at least referring to the north boundary. When he discovered 
that the map was a fraud and protested, the court having the 
subject under advisement, decided that as he had entered into it 
he must abide by it. 

By the loss of this strip of twenty miles of territory from the 
northern boundary of the province and the whole of the State of 
Delaware, which was occasioned by equally as unjust means, the 
Lords Proprietories were, as stated, shorn of between three and 
four millions of acres of their territory. 

ANCIENT COMMUNION SERVICE. 




34 



AN OLD COMMUNION SERVICE. 

Through the courtesy of Rev. Abdial Connor, pastor of the 
Olades German Reformed Congregation near Walkersville, Fred- 
erick county, 1 am enabled to present a representation of a flagon 
and chalice, parts of an old communion sen«ice, now in his cus- 
tody. These interesting relics vf&re discovered a few months 
since by Rev. George M, Zacharias, of Baltimore, in the garret of 
the old school-house belonging to the Glades Church, and are 
thus described by him, in an article entitled "Schlatter's Relics," 
published in the Frederick City Daily News, December 21st, 1895: 

They are made of German silver — the flagon, which is very 
heavy, is about 15 inches high, and has engraven upon it the fol- 
lowing initials and date: 

V, w. 

V. G. R. 

1747. 

These are encircled by a wreath of leaves tapering at top and 
forming a bow at bottom. 

The chalice is about 12 inches in heighf, but has no inscription 
upon it, and Mr. Zachanas is of the opinion that it is of later 
date than the fligon, although it is possible, he says, it may have 
been a separate gift made at the same time. 

Quite naturally, as Mr. Zacharias says, this flagon, with the 
date 1747, "gives rise to much historical research and thought." 

Among the inferences he draws therefrom, is that there mast 
have been a '-Monocacy Manor Congregation and a Monocacy 
Frederick Congregation," and that the former was located within 
the bounds of the present Glades and Mount Pleasant charges. 

But I have shown that the earliest congregation formed in the 
Glades district was in the year 1750, three years later than the 
date on the flagon. He, as well as others who have investi- 
gated the origin and history of the Lutheran and Reformed Con- 
gregations of Frederick, recognize the fact that there was a 
building — '-a union church" — in which both congregations wor- 
nipped, antedating the visits of Revs. Schlatter and Muhlenberg 
n 1 747, but neither of them appeared to have been able to locate it. 

This is somewhat surprising, because Mr. Muhlenberg clearly 
and distinctly states that he and his companions found ^'a log 
church at the place called Monocacy, which is ten miles from Fred- 
ericktown." 

Mr. Schlatter also clearly states that he preached to a congre- 

35 



gation at Monocacy, and we know that it was in the log church 
belonging to the Lutherans, for in the articles written in their 
Church book, it is expressly stated that the Reformed ministers 
are permitted to use their church. 

The readers of these pages have seen, that, by means of the 
valuable researches of Rev. Mr. Whitmore, we have been able 
not only to locate the "place called Monocacy," but are also able 
to point out the actual site of the log church, in which Revs. 
Muhlenberg and Schlatter preached, and where the present Luth- 
eran and Reformed Congregations of Frederick were organized. 
And, furthermore, that there are now at least three persons 
living who saw the old church and were within its walls. 

There can be no doubt whatever, 1 think, that these venerable 
relics (the flagon at least j were used by the Monocacy Reformed 
Congregation, and perhaps by Mr. Schlatter himself at the ad- 
ministration of the "Lord's Supper" to the 86 members of the 
congregation. May 8th, 1747, at Monocacy, and also to the 97 
members of the same congregation at Fredericktown, May 14th, 
1748. 

The suggestion therefore that Mr. Zacharias makes is a good 
one, viz:— that this venerable flagon shall be used in administer- 
ing the "Holy Supper" at the Schlatter memorial services to be 
held during the year 1897, being the Sesqui Centennial of his 
missionary labors in Maryland and Virginia. 

ARTICLES 

For the government of the Lutheran Church at Monocacy, written in 
their Church hook by Rev. Mr. Muhlenberg, June 24, 1747. 

"Whereas, we, the subscribers, enjoy the inestimable liberty of 
conscience under the powerful protection of our Gracious Sover- 
eign King George the Second, and his representatives, our gra- 
cious superiors of this province, and have used this Blessed liberty 
since our first settling here at Manakasy till this day in worshiping 
God Almighty according to the Protestant Lutheran persuasion 
grounded m the Old and New Testaments and in the Invariata 
Augustana Confessions, certerisque libris syinbolicis, we will pray 
for our most gracious sovereign, and all that are in authority; that 
we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in Godliness and honesty. 

And whereas, we are several times disturbed by pretended min- 
isters that style themselves Lutherans, but cannot produce any 

;5() 



lawful certificate or credentials of their vocation or ordination of 
a lawful consistory or ministry, and cause strife, quarrels and dis- 
turbance among the congregation, we the subscribers, and the 
church wardens and members of the protestant Lutheran con- 
gregation erect and agree and bind ourselves to the following 
articles, in primis — 

1. The Church we have erected and built at Manakasy and used 
hitherto shall stand and remain and be for the worship of our 
protestant Lutheran religion according to our confession and 
oeconomic as long as the blessed acts of tolerance and of our 
liberty stand for ever. The Reform congregation shall have 
liberty for their lawful minister. 

2. No minister shall be admitted to preach, or administer the 
holy ordinances in our church, without a lawful call and certificate 
of his lawful Lutheran ordination and examination by a Lutheran 
congregation or ministry, and without consent of the church 
wardens. 

3. Every year shall be chosen four or more blameless members 
of our congregation forchurch wardens, and they shall be chosen 
by per plurima vota. 

4. The church wardens shall hold and preserve the key of 
the church, the vessels and ornaments that belong to the church 
and congregation, and deliver every piece in time of worship or 
when necessity requireth it. 

5. Two of the church wardens shall keep an exact account of 
the alms and be ready to lay at the end of the year the reckoning 
before the rest of the church wardens and the congregation. 

6. Whenever a member or church warden should turn to 
another persuasion or lead a notoriously sinful life against the 
ten commandments, the constitution and laws of our most graci- 
ous superiors, he or they shall not be accounted for a member of 
our congregation, but be excluded. To these before mentioned 
articles, which only tend to promote peace and quietness we set 
our hand this 24th day of June, 1747, in the 21st year of the 
reign of our most gracious sovereign King George the Second, 
whom the Lord preserve." 

Signed by the six Wardens and twenty-six other members of 
the congregation residing at Monocacy and Frederick and vicini- 
ties. (For the signatures attached to this paper, see page 13). 



37 



THE FIRST GERMAN SETTLERS IN THE VICINITY OF FREDKRICK CITY. 

It has been the general belief that John Thomas Schley, accompa- 
nied by ICO Palatinate families, came from Germany in 1735, and 
settled in the neighborhood of where Frederick City now stands, 
and that these were the first Germans who settled in that locality. 
But there is evidence to show that there were a number of Ger- 
mans located on lands in that vicinity prior to the date assigned 
for the coming of Thomas Schley. In Rupp's lists of 30,000 
German, Swiss and French Immigrants, as well as in the lists 
published in the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, are found ^^ 
the names of Joseph Brunner and his three sons, Jacob, John '^ 
and Henry, Christian Getzendanner, Stephen Ramsburg, Conrad >^ 
Kemp and his sons. Christian, Gilbert and Frederick, Ludwig ■ ' 
and Johannes Bentz, Sebastian Derr, Jacob Stoner, Ulrich Staley, >=- 
Hans Martin Wetzel, Nicholas Adams, and many others, the ( 
paternal ancesters of the families of those bearing their names in 
Frederick county who arrived at Philadelphia between the yexrs 
1727 and 1734, and who, it is reasonable to suppose, found their 
way into Maryland shortly after their arrival in this country. 

From the fact that Schley's name is not found in Rupp's lists 
or in the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, it is supposed, that 
he and those who may have accompanied him, came via Annap- 
olis or Alexandria, and that they were the first Germans to come 
to Maryland by way of the Chesapeake Bay. The favorite route 
of the German immigrants was to the port of Philadelphia, 
thence to Lancaster county, where large settlements were made 
at an early period. From here they spread into other sections of 
Pennsylvania, and into Maryland, Virginia, and as far south as 
North Caroliria and Georgia. 

It is possible that there may have been as many as one hundred 
German families settled between the Monocacy river and the 
Catoctin mountains in 1735, or shortly thereafter, but that so 
large a number came at that period at one time, is very doubtful. 
That number of families would represent at least two hundred, 
more likely two hundred and fifty or three hundred persons, and 
if so Urge a number had arrived at either Annapolis or Alexan- 
dria at one time, some evidence of the fact other than mere 
tradition would, I thini?, have been preserved. 

It is true, there are other names found on the early records that 
do not appear in the Pennsylvania lists. The names also of 

38 



Jonathan Hagar, and others who settled at Conococheague and 
Hagerstown at that period, are not found in those lists, and it is 
possible that some of them may have come with Schley, but still 
there is nothing to warrant the belief that as many as one hun- 
dred families came at anyone time into Maryland. 

It would appear from all the available data at hand that the 
first of these German immigrants to settle in the vicinity of the 
present Frederick City were the Brunners, Getzendanners and 
Kemps ; the followy^g facts, therefore, referring to the coming 
of these fi^st settlers, may prove of interest : 

THE BRUNNER FAMILY. 

Jacob Brunner, eldest son of Joseph Brunner, of the city of 
Schiefferstadt, Manheim, Germany, arrived at the Port of Phila- 
delphia on the ship "Morton." August 24th, 1728. He evidently 
came to '<view the land." It is not known that he found his 
way into Maryland, at this time, but the report made to his family 
must have been satisfactory, for among the arrivals at Philadel- 
phia, September 15th, 1729, on the ship "Alien," we find the 
names of his father Joseph Brunner, his brothers John and Henry, 
and his brother-in-law Christian Getzendanner; two sisters, Ann 
Barbara, wife of Getzendanner, and Catherine (subsequently 
married to Stephen Ramsberg), and '(perhaps), his minor brother 
Elias. 

The Brunners located on lands lying on Carroll Creek, west 
of where Frederick now stands. The lands they took up aggre- 
gating over one thousand acres, and are now comprised in the 
farms owned by the estate of the late Dr. Lewis H. Steiner, 
Mrs. Margaret Hood, Hiram Grove, Mrs. Hopwood, Mrs. George 
Zimmerman, Mrs. Joseph Butler, Jacob M. Huffer, E. L. Cramer, 
Alms House property and Joseph Cramer. Joseph, the father, 
settled on a tract containing 303 acres, now the property of the 
estate of Dr. Steiner, which he named in honor of his native city, 
"Schiefferstadt." This was deeded to his youngest son Elias, in 
1753, from whom it passed to Christopher, son of Casper Myers, 
and grandson of Joseph Brunner, in 1771, and to Christian 
Steiner, whose wife was a granddaughter of Christopher Myers, 
in 1843. Christian Steiner was the father of the late Dr. Lewis H. 
Steiner, to whose estate it now belongs. The property, therefore, 
has always been in the possession of Joseph Brunner's decend- 
ants. 

39 



There is on this property a very old and quaint two-story stone 
dwelling house. It is not known when it was built, but it has all 
the appearance of having been built in the "long ago." From 
the substantial manner in which it is constructed, the walls being 
three feet in thickness, and the cellar ten or twelve feet 
deep, with vaulted roof, which can be entered only from the 
outside of the house, leads one to imagine that it may have been 
intended as a shelter against attacks of the savages, as well as 
a shelter from the weather. 

During the troublesome times of the French and Indian wars 
a granddaughter of Joseph Brunner was captured by the Indians 
and held in captivity by them for several years. She, however, 
finally made her escape, and was married subsequently. Some of 
her descendants are now living in Indiana. 

The Brunners and their descendants occupied these lands for 
over a century, but there are now but few of the name residing 
on the lands taken up by their forefathers. The family took an 
important part in the building up of the town and county, ard 
were particularly noted for their earnestness and zeal in the 
affairs of the German Reformed Church. • 

THE GETZENDANNER FAMILY. 

Christian Getzendanner, or as sometimes found in the old 
records, Kitchadanner, was born in Switzerland, but took up his 
residence in Schiefferstadt, Germany, where he met and married 
Ann Barbara Brunner in 1723, and, as stated, came with the 
Brunner family to America in 1729. He settled about two miles 
west of the spot where Frederick was afterwards laid out. He 
purchased from the Indians a tract of 3000 acres, extending from 
the foot of the mountains, where Fairview now stands, easterly 
towards the Monocacy river. He relied upon the title ob- 
tained from the Indians, but ascertaining that one O'Neal had 
obtained a patent for about 1000 acres on the eastern part of his 
land, his eyes were opened to the necessity of obtaining a better 
title to his possessions. He accordingly applied for a pa' 
which he succeeded in obtaining April 17, 1754, for nine ' 
and thirty acreas, on a part of which his original sf' 
been made. The first house built of logs stood ' 
years ago. The descendants of Getzendp" 
families of the Schleys, Kemps, Bucke 



named were French Huguenots, who came about 1745 and located 
on lands in the vicinity of Buckeystown. 

One of Getzendanner's grandsons was a captain in the Lafitte 
fleet, a noted chieftain m the forays on the ocean, but his offence 
was wiped out by his gallant conduct at the battle of New 
Orleans. (See Life of Lafitte, the pirate.) 

The name of Stephen Ramsberg (Remspurger), appears in the 
lists of persons who were in Lancaster county prior to 1732, and 
it is probable that he came into Maryland about that time. He 
married Catherine, daughter of Joseph Brunner, and settled on a 
tract known as "Mortality," on the Monocacy, north of Fred- 
erick. He also purchased a tract called "Dearbought," now the 
property of the Derrs. He subsequently purchased lands adjoin- 
ing the Brunners on the east, where some of his descendants still 
reside. He was born on October nth, 1711, and died March 
7, 1789. 

THE KEMP FAMILY. 

John Conrad Kemp (Kaempf) and his three sons, Christian, 
Gilbert and Frederick, the latter under sixteen years of age, ar- 
rived at the Port of Philadelphia on the ship "Samuel," August 
17th, 1733, and it is supposed came into Maryland via Lancaster 
county, soon thereafter. Conrad Kemp, the father, settled in the 
neighborhood of the present town of New Market, where he sub- 
sequently laid out the village Kemptown, in that vicinity. 

Christian settled south of Frederick on "Ballenger's Creek," 
on the present Point of Rocks road, on lands in part now owned 
by the heirs of Christian Thomas. Gilbert and Frederick Kemp 
settled northwest of the Brunner tracts, on lands now owned by 
Columbus Kemp, Samuel Miller and Mrs. F. T. Lakin. 

Ludwig Kemp, son of Christian, was a captain in the brigade 
commanded by John Michael Raemer, in the Revolution, and 
served throughout the war. 

Henry, son of Ludwig, served several terms in the Legislature, 
also as Judge of the Orphans Court of Frederick county. 

Peter, son of Gilbert Kemp, was a minister in the United 
Brethren (Otterbein's) Church. 

Numerous descendants of Conrad Kemp and his three sons are 
living in Frederick connfv nprl in vt'oii^^ i^-r^c ^e tUr Cfo* 



John Michael Raemer came from Germany in the year 
1738. He married a daughter of Conrad Kemp, As stated, 
he commanded a brigade in the Revolutionary War. He was 
prominent and active in the affairs of the young settlement, and 
in the building up of the L'ltheran congregation. He was the 
contractor for the erection of the stone church commenced by 
that congregation in 1752. 

THE ALBAUGH FAMILY. 

The progenitor of the Albaughs (Ahlbach) was John Wilhelm, 
who came to this country with his sons Zacharias, John Wilhelm, 
John Peter and John Gerhardt, the three last mentioned being 
minors. The family first settled in New Jersey, but removed to 
Frederick county prior to 1750, and took up large tracts of land 
near what is now the t'>wn of Liberty. He also owned land on 
the east of l^Vederii k, subsecjuently owned by the late Captain 
Edward Schley, now by George Cline, as well as some town lots. 

His son, John Wdliam Albaugh, was a piominent citizen, being 
one of the Committee of Safety for Frederick county during the 
Revolution. His family, as well as the German settlers of Fred- 
erick county generally, were warm friends of the patriot cause, 
and rendered valuable services in the defense of the liberties of 
their adopted country. 

His son Abraham, it is said, was the first person of German 
descent to hold office in Frederick county, that of magistrate and 
United States Marshal. 

Among other known early settlers are the following: 

Nicholas Adams, the ancestor of the family of this name in 
Frederick county, came to America prior to 1727, and sometime 
thereafter took up lands on Israel's Creek, now owned by E. 
Lewis Cramer. 

Sebastian Derr (Durr) arrived at Philadelphia, September nth, 
1728. From here he went by water to Alexandria, where he 
purchased lands in that vicinity, which he gave to his son 
Thomas. Some time prior to 1753 he removed into Maryland 
and purchased the tract of land "Dearbought," from Stephen 
Ramsberg, which is still in the possession of his descendants. 

Jacob Stoner (or Ste.ner) came from Germany in 1731. He 
was born in 1713, and died in 1748. His tombstone is one of 
the few preserved in the old graveyard in the rear of the old log 

42 



church of the Reformers. He was the paternal ancestor of the 
late Dr. Lewis H. Steiner and Bernard C Steiner, Libra[rian of 
the Enoch Pratt Library. 

Hans Frederick Geyer, born in 1696, died at Frederick in 
1775. His grandson, Henry S. Geyer, removed in early life to 
Missouri, where he became a prominent lawyer, and in 1851 was 
elected United States Senator to succeed Senator Thomas Ben- 
ton, serving until 1857, and died 1859. 

I was not able to find any warrants issued for land to 
any of the persons named earlier than the year 1742. It 
is evident, therefore, I think, that these first settlers were 
squatters. Or, as in the case of Christian Getzendanner, they may 
have purchased their lands froui the Indians. They probably 
did not know that any one had other or better title to the lands 
than the Indians. When they discovered that the authorities at 
Annapolis had a say in the matter they applied to them for war- 
rants, but, as stated, this was not done until 17-12, and in many 
cases not until a much later date. 

The following is a list ot some of the earlier warrants issued 
for lands in the vicinity of Frederick: 

Christian Kemp took out patents as follows: 
February loth, 1743, for 230 acres, called "Despatch." 
February 20th, 1743, for 100 acres, called ""Kemp's Delight." 
February 20th, 1743, for 150 acres, called "Good Luck." 
March, 1746, for a resurvey ol "Kemp's Delight.'' 
June 20, 1753, for a resurvey of "Crood T.uck," 539 acres. 
August 4th, 1752, for Kemp's Long Meadow, 600 acres. 
October 31st, 1754, for 25 acres, called "Meadow Recovered." 
June 20th, 1753, 82 acres, called "Great Desire." 
Conrad Kemp took out patents as follows: 
March 12th, 1745, for 30 acres, called "Wilber Sign." 
March, 1746, for 50 acres, called "Peace and Quietness." 
September 19th, 1750, 100 acres called "Kemp's Delight." 
July 30th, 1750, 10 acres, called "Kemp's Lot." This appears 
to have been for a tract of land lying between his land and 
Frederick Kemp's, for which the yearly payment was five pence 
Sterling in silver or gold. 

Gilbert Kemp took out patents as follows: 

July 30, 1750, 50 acres, called "Kemp's Discovery." 

November 10, 1752, 150 acres, called "Home House." 

43 



Frederick Kemp took out a patent, August 14, 1754, ior 55 

acres, called "Kemp's Bottom." 

George Shley (Schley), took out a patent, June 21, 1755, for 

104 acres, called "Shley's Discovery." 

William Albaugh took out patents as follows: 

May 25, 1750, 50 acres, called "Albaugh's Choice." 

June 29, 1754, resurvey <<Albaugh'b Choice," 530 acre?. 

Zacharias Albaugh took out patents as follows: 

August 10, 1753, 125 acres, called "Albaugh's Choice." 

October i, 1753, 200 acres, called "Married Man's Delight." 

Christian Getzendanner took out patents as follows : 

November nth, 1742, for 100 hundred acrescalled "Christian's 

Choice." 

October 30, 1752, for 200 acres called "Frankford." 

April 17, 1754, for a resurvey of "Christian's Choice," for 930 

acres, adjoining Frankford. 

1 quote m full the earliest patent I could find for any of the 

above tracts. It will be noticed that it was issued through 

Daniel Dulaney, who had acquired rights in the land but had 

not received a patent therefor. 

FORM OF PATENT. 

Christian Getsitoner [Getzendanner], his Patent, | Charles, &c. 
"Christian's Choice" 100 Acres. [ Know ye, 

that whereas Daniel Dulaney of the City of Annapolis in our said 
Province cf Maryland had surveyed and laid out for him a tract 
or parsel of land called "Christian's Choice," lying in Prince 
George's County, containing one hundred acres, by virtue of so 
much part of a warrant for four hundred and twelve acres granted 
him the 26th day of September, Anno Domini Seventeen Hund- 
red and Forty, as appears in our land Office, and upon such con- 
ditions and terms as are expressed in our conditions of planta- 
tion of our said Province bearing date the 5th day of April, Six- 
teen Hundred and Eighty-four, and remaining upon record in 
our said Province, together with such alterations as in them are 
made by our further conditions bearing date the fourth day of 
December, Sixteen Hundred and Ninety six, together also " with 
the alterations made by our instructions bearing date at London, 
the twelfth day of September, and registered in our Secretary's 
Office of our said Province; but before our grant thereon to him 

44 



did issue he did, on the eighteenth day of August, Seventeen 
Hundred and Forty-one, assign, sell, transfer and make over all 
his right, title and interest of and in and to the said land, and 
the Certificate of Survey thereof unto a certain Christian Getsi- 
toner who hath supplanted us that our grant may now notv issue 
in is name for the same which we have thought fit to condescend 
unto. 

We do therefore grant unto him, the said Christian Getsitoner, 
all that tract or parcel of land lying in Prince George's County 
called '■^ Christian' s Choue,'" and 

Beginning at a bounded black oak, standing near the fork of 
Carrol's creek, and running thence south, eighty-one degrees 
west, sixty perches; then north, sixty six degrees west, thirty one 
perches; then south, seventy- nine tiegrees webt, fifty perches; 
then north, sixty nine, degrees west, sixty perches; then north, 
thirty degrees east, one hundred and thirty perches; thtn south, 
seventy degrees east, one hundred perches; then by a straight 
line to the beginning tree. 

Containing and now laid out for one hundred acres of land, 
more or less, according to the Certificate of Survey thereof taken 
and returned untoourLand Ot^ce, bearing date the twenty seventh 
day of November, Seventeen Hundred and Forty, and there re- 
maining together with all rights, profits, benefits and privileges 
thereunto belonging, royal mines excepted. 

To have and to hold tiie same unto him, the said Christian 
Getsitoner, Jiis fieirs and assigns forever to be holden of us and 
our heirs as of our manor of Calverton in fee and common 
soceage by fealty only for all manner of services yielding and 
paying therefore yearly unto us and our heirs at our receipt at 
our city of St. Mary's, at the two most usual feasts in the year, 
vizt: the feast of the Annunciation of the Bkssed Virgin Mary 
and Saint Michael the Arch Angel, by even and equal portions, 
the rent of four shillings sterling in silver or gold, and for a fine 
upon every alienation of the said land or any part or parcel 
thereof one whole year's rent in silver or gold, or the full value 
thereof in such commodities as we and our heirs or such officer 
or officers as shall be appointed by us and our heirs from time to 
time to collect and receive the same, shall accept in discharge 
thereof, at the choice of us and our heirs, or such officer or 
officers aforesaid. Provided, that if the said sum for a fine for 

45 



alienations shall not be paid unto us and our heirs or such officer 
or officers aforesaid before such alienation, and the said aliena- 
tion entered upon record either in the Provincial Court or 
County Court, where the same parcel of land lieth within one 
month next after such alienation, then the siid alienation to 
be void and of no effect. 

Given under our Great Seal of our said Province of Maryland 
this eleventh day of November, Anno Domini Seventeen Hund- 
red and forty two. 

Witness our trusty and well beloved Thomas Bladen, Esqr., 
Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of our said Province of 
Maryland, Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal thereof. 



THii (;kf':at 



T. ^^^ Bladen, Chan. 
Land Office of Maryland, Sct: 

I hereby certify, that the aforegoing is a true copy of the patent 
for "Christians Choice," loo acre?, patented to Christian Getsi- 
toner, the nth November, 1742, as recorded in Liber L. G. No. 
B. Folio 533, &c., one of the record books of this office. 

^-v^-^ In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 

^eM^ affixed the Seal of the Land Office of Maryland, 

eleventh day of March, eighteen hundred and 

ninety-six. 

Philip D. Laird, 
Commissioner of Land Office. 

It will be noticed, that the terms upon which these patents were 
issued, were the same as those offered by Charles, Lord Baltimore, 
in 1732: an annual rental of four shillings per 100 acres, bemg 
about one cent per acre. It will be noticed also, that if there 
were found on the lands any mines (ore) they were always to be 
excepted. The "alienation fine" was the fee to be paid for the sale 
or transfer of the tract or any part thereof. This rental was paid 
to the agents of the Propriatories until the Revolutionary War, 
when it ceased, and as I understand the matter, a fee simple title 
was acquired by merely having the land resurveyed, and a record 
made of the same. 

Many of the finest farm lands of Frederick county were obtain- 
ed by the original settlers upon these faVorable terms. 

But the most of the early settlers in the vicinity of Frederick 

46 



located on a large tract of land, known in old records as "Tas- 
ker's Chance," regarding which I have gathered the following 
facts from the records : 

tasker's chance. 

April 15, 1725, there was surveyed for Benjamin Tasker, Presi- 
dent of the Council of Maryland, a tract of 7000 acres of land, 
for which he received a patent bearing date of June 7th, 1727. 

The beginning of this tract was at "a bounded beach tree with 
nine notches, standing about two perches from the banks of the 
Monocacy River or Creek, and about six perches from the mouth 
of Beaver Creek," and runnmg in a westerly direction for about 
three and one- half miles to the "Red Hills," the old McPherson 
farm, where the Dulaneys built a mansion for their own use. This 
farm is now owned by Minister Eustice of Louisiana, Minister of 
France. 

The line then ran in a northerly direction for about three and a 
quarter miles. Then in an easterly direction to the Monocacy, 
Then following the west bank of said river to the begining. 

"Beaver Creek" is now known as Carroll's Creek, and the 
bounded beech tree has been superceded by a large square stone 
planted near where Carroll Creek empties into the Monocacy. 

On June nth, 1736, Tasker gave his "bond in writing obliga- 
tory," to convey this entire tract of 7000 acres to Abraham Mil- 
ler, Daniel France, John George Lye (Lay), Joseph Smith, Peter 
Laney and Jacob Stoner for the sum of two thousand pounds. 

For some cause, the sale was not consumated to these parties, 
but on February 30, 1744, "at the instance and request of Miller 
and others concerned in the purchase," the tract was conveyed 
to Daniel Dulaney for and in consideration of the sum of 841 
pounds, 1 1 shillings currency, and security for the payment of 
the further sum of 941 pounds, 2 shillings, principal and inter- 
est. It was agreed between Miller and the others, that the prop- 
erty should be conveyed to Dulaney to the end and purpose that 
he and his heirs shall be invested with an estate of inheritance in 
fee simple in the property until the money advanced by Dulaney, 
together with the secured payments should be fully satisfied. 

It would appear by the instrument from which I have quoted, 
that Mr. Dulaney was simply acting as the surety of the parties 
named, but the subsequent documents issued by him show that he 
was the exclusive owner of the property. 

47 



The price he paid for the land, according to this paper, was 
about $1.20 per acre, and yet, as wc shall see, he sold it in tracts 
of 100 acres and more at a price not over one half this sum. 
Indeed, Joseph Brunner bought 303 acres for 10 /^wwc/j, about 
i6ii ce/Us per acre. This can only be accounted for on one or 
two suppositions: either that he had miscalculated the market 
value of the land, or that these first settlers had accpiired some 
rights in the land by virtue of having actually located upon and 
improved them. 

1 vi^as unable to find a conveyance of any part of this tract by 
Mr. Dulaney earlier than 1746, although some of the settlers 
evidently, as intimated, had occupied the lands for some years. 
In almost all the earlier deeds it is recorded that the grantee 
"is now in actual possession." A large number of deeds were 
made during the year 1746, as will be seen by the following list: 

Daniel Dulaney conveys to Jacob Stoner, July 28, 1746, a 
tract of land called "Mill Pond," part of Tasker's Chance, now 
in his possession, containing 292 acres; also a tract called "15ear 
Durburg," part of Tasker's (Chance, 1721^ acres; consideration 
tweniy-five pounds. These lands adjoined the lands ot Stei)hen 
Rarasberg and Abraham Miller. 

To (iilbert Kemp, July 28th, 1746, a tract, a part of 
"Tasker's Chance," called "Water Land," containing 100 acres; 
consideration twenty pounds. This tract began at the south line 
of Tasker's Chance and adjoined the land of Conrad Kemp. 

To Jacob Brunner, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of "Tasker's 
Chance," called "Puck Levells." containing 248 acres; consider- 
ation fifteen pounds. This tract commenced in the loth line of 
Tasker's Chance, and joined John Brunner's and Tider Laney's 
land. 

To Cunrad Kcmj), July 28, 1746, a tract, part of "Tasker's 
Chance," called "Kemp's Purchase," containing 190 acres; con- 
sideration twenty- five pounds. This tract commenced at the nth 
line of Tasker's Chance, at the northwest corner of Jacob Brun- 
ner's land. 

To Stephen Ramsberg, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Mortality," containing 473 acres; consideration 
fifteen pounds. This tract, commencing at the southeast of John 
George Lay's land. 



48 



To John George Loy (Lay), July 28, 1746, part of Tasker's 
Chance, containing 213 acres; consideration ten pounds. 

To John Henry Nave, July 2S, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, containing 355^ acres; consideration fifteen pounds* 
This tract adjoined Henry Hood's land. 

To Caspar Meyers, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, containing 273 acres; consideration twenty-five pounds. 
This tract commenced in the 9th line, Tasker's Chance, and ad- 
joined John Yost Smith's land. 

To Henry Brunner, July 58, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Carroll Creek," containing 186 acres; consider- 
ation thirty pounds. This tract commenced at 300 perches in 6th 
line Tasker's Chance, and adjoined the lands laid out for Benja- 
min Hopleman and Henry vSinn, and east of Joseph Brunner's 
land. 

To John Brunner, July 28, 1746, a tract of land, part of 
Tasker's Chance, called <'\Vhit-a-VVill," containing 232^^ acres; 
consideration twenty pounds. This tract commenced at eighty 
perches from the beginning of loth line and at beginning of 
land laid out for Joseph Brunner. 

To Henry Roth, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Olio," containing 323 acres; consideration 
twenty pounds. 

To Joseph Brunner, July 28, 1746, a tract of land, part of 
Tasker's Chance, called "Schiefferstadt," and now in his actual 
possession, containing 303 acres; consideration ten pounds. This 
tract commenced at the loth line of Tasker's Chance, then run- 
ning in a nortLerly direction to a line in the land oi Peter Hore- 
man. [I tdink this is intended for Peter Hoffman.] It adjoined 
Henry Brunner's land on the west. 

To Jacob Stoner, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called '-The Barrens," containing 103 acres; considera- 
tion twenty-five pounds. This tract commenced at the 60th line 
of Tasker's Chance, 160 perches from the Moriocacy. 

To Jacob Stoner, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Indian Field," containing 202 acres; considera- 
tion fifteen pounds. 

To Christian Thomas, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Beavei's Den," containing 209I acres; considera- 
tion thirty six pounds. 

49 



To Henry Sinn, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Loom," containing 125I acres. Consideration 
25 pounds. 

To Francis Vice, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Strife," containing 206 acres. Consideration 
25 pounds. 

To Peter Hoffman, July 27, 1746, i tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Rose Garden," containing 225 acres. Consid- 
eration 20 pounds. 

In 1776 Mr. Hoffman sold this property to Governor Thomas 
Johnson, who erected thereupon a fine mansion, which is still 
standing. Mr. Hoffman removed to Baltimore and established 
the large dry goods house that eventually became the firm of 
Peter Hoffman & Sons. This farm lies about half a mile north 
ot Frederick. 

To Nicholas Fink, July 28, 1746, a tract, part of Tasker's 
Chance, containing 170 acres. Consideration 30 pounds. 

To Abraham Miller, July 28, 1746, a tract of land, part of 
Tasker's Chance, containing 294acres. Consideration 16 pounds. 

Dulaney deeded to James Smith, May 17th, 1750, a tract, part 
of Tasker's Chance, containing 260 acres; consideration 60 
pounds. 

To Andrew Smith, May 23, 1764, part of Tasker's Chance 
part of "Dearbought," containing 200 acres; consideration 200 
pounds. 

To Stephen Ramsberg, October ist, 1755, a part of Tasker's 
Chance, called "Dearbought," containing 307I acres; considera- 
tion 100 pounds. This property was sold to Sebastian Derr, July 
3o> ^755' ^i^d is still in the possession of his descendants. 

To Nicholas Fink, June 22, 1754, part of Tasker's Chance, 
containing 120 acres; consideration 50 pounds. 

To Abraham Lingenfelter, August 3, 1779, a tract on Israel's 
Creek, containing 100 acres; consideration two pounds annually. 
Lingenfelter was to erect a house and plant an apple orchard of 
100 trees. 

This property came into the possession of Valentine Adams, a 
son in law of Lingenfelder, at whose death it was sold for Con- 
tinental money, which proved to be almost worthless. 

Jacob Bentz owned a large tract of land, also a part of Tas- 
ker's Chance, immediately on the west site of the toT\n. It ex- 

50 



tended from Bentztown, of which it was a part, beyond the 
Hamburg road. In 1775, Jacob Bentz deeded to the German 
Reformed Church the ground now the old graveyard of that con- 
gregation. The father of this gentleman was probably Jacob, and 
the paternal ancestor ot the family in Frederick county, and not 
Ludwig or Johannes, as I intimated on page 38. 

The town of Frederick was laid out in September, 1745, on a 
part of Tasker's Chance, lying on both sides of Carroll creek. 
The lots were laid out 60 to 63 feet wide, and from 355 to 393 
feet deep. The rate paid for them was 2 pounds 10 shillings 
and the further yearly payment of one shilling for 21 years, and 
after that time two shillings yearly. 

To the year 1781 Dulaney and his son Walter sold about two 
hundred of these lots, when the successful termination of the 
Revolutionary \\'ar, terminated all their rights, not only to the 
remaining lots in the town of Frederick, but also to the vast tracts 
of land owned by them in various parts of the county. 

Among the earlier names of those taking up lots in the town, 
I find in the records of Prince George and Frederick counties 
the following : 

Robert Debutts (two lots), Robert VVickham, John Carey, 
Michael Stumpf, Valentine Black, Thomas Schley (four lots), Mrs. 
Walling, Peter Rench, Mrs. Everton, Peter Butler, Ludwig 
Young, Samuel Beal, Rev. Bernabus Hauseal, John Biggs, James 
Brandt, James Dickson, Susannah Apple, Jacob Schisler, Chris- 
tian Scholl, Jacob Swearinger, George Dickson, Daniel Schultz 
(four lots), Theobald Mertz, Jacob Schley, Michael Latz, Nicholas 
Hauer, Daniel Hauer, Peter Wearry, John Kephart, John Jacob 
Schley, George Burkhart, Michael Raemer, Jacob Marshall, Jacob 
Sproul, Demorest De la Vincindier and Samuel Duval. 

May ID, 1750, there was deeded to the commissioners appoint- 
ed by the Legislature to purchase lands for building a court 
house in Frederick, six lots numbered 73, 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78. 
Consideration 18 pounds. 

The Dulaneys owned other tracts in various parts of the 
county, as we have seen by the Getzendanner patent. They also 
had a tract of over 8000 acres on Monocacy Manor, north of 
Frederick. Charles Carroll, Dr. James Carroll, George Steuart, 
and others, also took up large tracts in various parts of what is 
now Frederick and Washington counties. In the latter. Lord 

51 



Baltimore had reserved a tract of 10,500 acres, called Conago- 
cheaque. Leases were made of these lands at from two to six 
pounds per 100 acres annually. 

It would appear that land had considerably advanced over 
price paid by the first settlers, but it must be borne in mind that 
these payments were in Maryland currency, which was then 
greatly depreciated. 

As Frederick City as well as some of the largest and finest 
farms in its vicinity are located on "Tasker's Chance," it was 
thought it might be of interest to publish its courses and distances 
which are as follows : 

COURSES AND DISTANCES OF TASKER's CHANCE. 

"Beginning at a bounded beech, bounded with nine notches, 
standing about two perches from the bank of Monocacy river or 
creek, and about six perches from the mouth ot a large run called 
Beaver run [now known as Carroll creek], and from thence run- 
ning north, eighty degrees west, thirty seven perches; then south, 
fifty five degrees west, fifty-two perches; then south, sixteen de- 
grees west, eight perches; then south, seventy-five degrees west, 
sixty-six perches; then south, forty-five degrees west, eighty-six 
perches; then south, sixty-five degrees west, one hundred and 
forty-five perches; then south, forty degrees west, one hundred 
and six perches; then south, fifty-nine degrees west, two hundred 
and forty-seven perches; then north, fifty six degrees west, four 
hundred and forty-six perches; then north, twelve degrees east, 
four hundred and nine perches; then north, thirty-one degrees 
west, one hundred and forty perches; then north, forty-six degrees 
east, one hundred and sixty perches; then north, thirty degrees 
east, one hundred and sixty perches; then north, fifteen degrees 
east, one hundred and eighty perches; then north, thirty six de- 
grees east, five hundred and forty-six perches; then south, seventy- 
seven degrees east, three hundred and sixty-nine perches to the 
side of Monocacy river or creek; then bounding by and with the 
side of the said river or creek as said river runs then foll'g courses 
(viz.)south, twenty degrees east, fifty-six peri lies; then south, thirty- 
seven degrees west, seventy perches; then south, twenty-three de- 
grees west, one-hundred and twenty perches; then south, fifty- 
six degrees west, one hundred and thirty perches; then south, 
thirty degrees east, eighty perches; then south, sixty degrees east, 

52 



eighty-four perches; then south, forty-six degrees east, sixty 
perches; then south, eighty degrees east, one hundred and twelve 
perches; then south, sixty-five degrees east, seventy-four perches; 
then south, twenty degrees east, one hundred and sixty- eight 
perches; then sou'h, twelve degrees west, forty perches; then 
south, sixty-four degrees east, one hundred and thirty perches; 
then south, forty-three degrees east, forty perches; then south, 
twenty-seven degrees west, sixty perches; then south, sixty-six 
degrees west, one hundred and twenty perches; then north^ 
thirty-nine degrees west, forty four perches; the west, forty 
perches; then north, fifty-five degrees west, thirty perches; then 
west, two hundred and four perches; then south, forty-five degrees 
west, forty perches; then south, four degrees west, fifty perches; 
then south, thirty-six degrees east, forty perches; then south, 
sixty degrees east, twenty-one perches; then south, forty-three 
degrees east, seventy perches; then south, seventy degrees east? 
one hunered perches; then south, thirty-six degrees east, thirty-six 
perches; then still bounding by and with the side of the said river 
or creek to the beginning tree," containing, Jec, &c. 
Surveyed 15th April, 1725. Patented 9th June, 1727. 

Land Office of Maryland, Set.: 

I hereby certify that the aforegoing is a true copy of courses 
and distances of <'Tasker's Chance," 7,000 acress, as recorded in 
Liber P. L., No. 6, folio 559, &c., one of .he Record Books of 
this office. 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and 
(^n:r\ affixed the Seal of the Land Ofifice of Maryland, this 6th 
(^^^ day of February, 1896. 

Philip D. Laird, 
Commissioner of the Land Office. 

It is stated in the records of the Land Office, that this entire 
tract of 7,000 acres was conveyed, January 3oth,i744, to Daniel 
Dulaney for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand 
pounds, but the consideration named in the Records of Prince 
George County was about 1682 pounds. 



53 




The Old "Washington" Tavern— [front view.] 




The Old ''Washington" Tam-.k.n— |_rvL.n,x > ie\v.] 
54 



AN HISTORIC OLD TAVERN. 

On the preceding page is a front and rear view of an old build- 
ing standing on west All Saints' street. It was formerly an inn 
or tavern, and a well-founded tradition asserts that here in 1755 
Washington and Franklin met for the first time, and were called 
into consultation with Governor Sharpe and General Braddock, 
in regard to the campaign for the reduction of Fort du Quesne. 

This venerable relic of the early days is now occupied by 
several colored families, and, as will be noticed, is in a delapida- 
ted condition. It sets back about fifty feet from the street, the rear 
grounds sloping down to the bed of Carroll Creek, upon the 
margin of which was, and is still a fine spring of water; this fact 
doubtless had some influence in the selection of the site for the 
building. The old road to Virginia and the South passed along 
All Saints' street in front of this building, thence by way of 
Prospect Hill, and through the mountains to the south. 

The original road to Virginia from the Pennsylvania settle- 
ments, as I have shown, was by the way of the old settlement of 
Monocacy, and then through Catoctm Mountains at Fishing 
Creek Gap, thence down the Middletown Valley and through 
South Mountain at Crampton's Gap. 

According to Scharf there were three taverns in Frederick in 
1750, and this, doubtless, was one of them. Frederick was on 
the only direct road from the New England States, as well as from 
New York and Pennsylvania to the South; as travel between 
these points increased, a large number of taverns were erected in 
the town, as well as along the roads. These all did a thriving 
business until the introduction of canals and railroads, when the 
trade was diverted into other channels. Frederick itself had for 
many years a thriving trade with Georgia and other Southern 
States. 

Within the recollection of the writer there were fifteen or six- 
teen of these taverns still in operation on Market and Patrick 
streets, and several in other parts of the town, besides which 
there were several public houses dignified by the title, "Hotel." 
All of them had ponderous swinging signs planted in front with 
expressive designs. The mournful creaking of these signs on 
their rusty hinges on windy days and nights gave due warning to 
the pedestrian to quicken his steps until he had safely passed 
them. 

55 




The Old Barracks as they were before 1869. 



THE OLD BARRACKS. 

Many of the residents of Frederick have been under the im- 
pression that the Old Barracks were erected during the time of 
the French and Indian wars, but this is not the fact. The Bar- 
racks, as shown in the engraving, were built under Chapter X, 
Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland, passed in 1777. 

There is ground for the belief, however, that there was a 
stockade fort, or something of that character, on or near 
their site at the time of the French and Indian wars, similar 
to those erected by the early settlers near the present Clearspring 
and Williamsport, to which the women and children retreated 
when the Indians became troublesome. The Act of the Assembly 
referred to, provided for "the erection of Barracks to remove as 
far as possible the necessity of quartering troops in private 
houses." 

Under this act there was "to be erected, in or near Frederick- 
town in Frederick county, a number of fit, convenient and 
proper barracks of plain brick or stone work, with a block-house 



56 



at each corner and ditched and palisaded in, sufficient for the 
reception of two batalions, with officers." The act also provided 
for the erection of similar buildings at Annapolis and head of 
Elk. 

Within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant of Frederick, the 
barracks presented the form and appearance as in the engraving 
of two L-shaped structures of stone two stories high, with walls 
three feet thick. The longest part of each L was 140 feet, the 
shortest parts being 60 feet long. 

But I am of the opinion that originally there was a fourth side 
completing the parallelagrani. This opinion is strengthened if 
not actually confirmed by the following among the items of in- 
terest referring to the old town quoted by Scharf: "June 26, 1797, 
the right wing of the barracks entirely destroyed" (by fire it is 
presumed). 

Such a structure with "a block house at each corner and ditched 
and pallisaded" would form what evidently it was intended to be 
(besides quarters for troops) a fortress and a place of defense 
and security against attacks by Indians as well as trained soldiers. 

During the War of the Revolution the barracks were used as a 
place of confinement for the British and Hessian prisoners cap- 
tured in the battles at Saratoga and Trenton, and afterwards at 
Yorktowh. It is said that there was at one time as many as 1000 
Hessian prisoners confined there and in huts erected on the sur- 
rounding grounds, which cover ten acres. 

Th;y were also occupied "by the French prisoners of L'lnsur- 
gent captured by the Constellation in the guasi-wdx with France," 
also the prisoners captured in the 181 2 war with England. These 
barracks were for many years used for the storage of arms be- 
longing to the Stale. An armorer was regularly appointed, who 
had the charge of them and the care of the buildings. An old 
cannon, eight or nine feet long, from Revolutionary times, laid 
upon Barrack hill for many years. On the occasions of 4th of 
July and other celebrations this old cannon would be raised 
from the ground into which it had sunk since last used and fired. 
Upon the election of General Harrison to the Presidency in 1S40 
some of his admirers raised the old cannon, one of whom, in the 
exuberance of his feelings, rammed it with clay, in consequence of 
which it exploded and he paid the penalty of his indiscretion 
with his life. 

57 



By an Act of the General Assembly passed January, 1869, the 
State Grounds at Frederick, together with buildings thereon, were 
set apart for the use of the "Maryland School for the Deaf and 
Dumb." The school was opened in one of the buildings, but in 
a few years the needs of the institution requiring better accommo- 
dations, the present large, handsome and commodious buildings 
were erected. Unfortunately a portion of the old and venerable 
barracks had to be torn down to make room for the new build- 
ings, the east wing now alone remaining. 



Old Court House, 1785. 




58 



The old court house. 

By the act of 1748, creating Frederick county, the commis- 
sioners therein appointed were authorized to purchase three 
acres of land in or near Fredericktown whereon to erect a 
court house and prison. In accordance therewith the commis- 
sioners purchased from Mr. Dulaney, in Frederick, six lots num- 
bered from 73 to 78. These lots were each 62 feet wide and 393 
feet deep, extending from Church Street to Second Street; the 
price paid to Mr. Dulaney for the same was 18 pounds. 

Work on the court house was at once commenced, and it was 
nearly completed when the French and Indian War broke out, 
the exigencies of which caused labor thereon to cease, and it was 
not completed until 1756. 

This building, which was one and a half stories high, and 
built mostly of wood, was located in what is now the bed of 
Counsel Street, and stood until 1785, when the building of 
which a representation is presented, was erected. This quite an 
imposing structure for that time, was modeled after ihe court 
house of Dublin, Ireland, by Andrew McCleary, descendents of 
whom still reside in Frederick. It was built about 20 feet south 
of the first building, and stood until 1S61, when it was destroyed 
by fire, and the present building was erected upon its site. 

The present Court House Square is much curtailed from its 
original dimensions. The bed of Counsel Street, as well as the 
Frederick College, and the residences of Messrs. Charles Ross 
and David Weinbrunner, has been taken therefrom. 

The first jail, a rude structure, stood near the present residence 
of Mr. Ross, and the whipping post stood on the southeast cor- 
ner of the lots opposite the present Central National Bank. 
Before the erection of the first court house the courts, as else- 
where stated, were held in the log church of the German 
Reformed Congregation on Patrick Street. They were held also 
for a time at Mrs. Charlton's tavern, southwest corner of Market 
and Patrick Streets. 



59 



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